Moderna has entered an agreement in principle with the UK government to set up a new messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing facility in the country. The mRNA Innovation and Technology Center is anticipated to offer access to quick pandemic response expertise and respiratory virus vaccine candidates of the company. In partnership with the UK government, Moderna plans to produce mRNA vaccines domestically, including those against Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus, seasonal influenza and other vaccines at the manufacturing site. Construction of the centre is anticipated to begin this year with the first mRNA vaccine expected to be produced in 2025.

Pfizer and BioNTech have entered a new $3.2bn vaccine supply agreement with the US Government to supply further doses of their Covid-19 vaccine. This deal might comprise Omicron-adapted Covid-19 vaccines for use in adults, contingent on obtaining the US FDA authorisation. The companies anticipate supplying these vaccine doses by September and will continue into the fourth quarter of this year. On receiving the initial 105 million vaccine doses, the US government will make the agreed payment to Pfizer and BioNTech. Additionally, the government holds an option to procure up to 195 million further doses of the vaccine taking the total to 300 million.

Galapagos has signed agreements to acquire all outstanding shares of CellPoint and AboundBio to boost access to next-generation cell therapies, in an all-cash deal totalling $251m. Under the definitive agreements signed between the companies, Galapagos will pay $132m (€125m) upfront to CellPoint while a milestone payment of an additional $105m (€100m) to be made is contingent on meeting certain goals.

Blueprint Medicines has entered strategic financing partnerships for up to $1.25bn with life sciences-focused investors Sixth Street and Royalty Pharma. The company noted that the deal will bring substantial non-dilutive, low-cost capital to boost innovation and growth. The funding will offer capital to extend Blueprint’s varied pipeline toward marketing as well as to continue seeking strategic and synergistic business development prospects.

Merck (MSD outside North America) and Orion have entered an agreement to develop and market the latter’s investigational candidate ODM-208 to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The companies will also develop various other drugs that act on cytochrome P450 11A1 (CYP11A1), an enzyme vital for steroid production.

Avrobio has received orphan drug designation for its gene therapy, AVR-RD-05, from the US FDA to treat mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPSII) or Hunter syndrome. The rare and seriously debilitating lysosomal disorder, Hunter syndrome primarily affects young boys and is caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS).