San Antonio, TX (USA) – July 27, 2023 Fina Biosolutions has selected Scorpius BioManufacturing, a biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), for the production of an E.coli-expressed CRM197 conjugate vaccine carrier protein.

The partnership includes recovery and downstream process optimization, analytical method implementation and phase-appropriate validation, scale-up, and cGMP bulk drug substance manufacturing of CRM197, a genetically detoxified diphtheria toxin widely used in conjugate vaccines. FinaBio markets their CRM197 under the tradename EcoCRM®.

“Fina Biosolutions is an innovative biotech company that deserves the responsiveness traditional CDMOs often fail to provide to smaller, more nimble clients. They are exactly the type of partner we envisioned supporting when we founded Scorpius in 2020,” said Jeff Wolf, Scorpius’ Founder and Executive Chairman. “Our team is honored to work with Dr. Lees and the FinaBio team to improve patients’ lives through their novel and affordable conjugate vaccines.”

EcoCRM® is produced in FinaBio’s FinaXpress platform, a highly efficient E. coli expression system that, along with a simple purification method, can significantly reduce the cost of this vaccine component. Fina Biosolutions founder Dr. Andrew Lees said, “As a company focused on promoting affordable conjugate vaccines, it was important for us to find a flexible CDMO partner who aligned with our mission to make this technology accessible to patients globally without sacrificing quality.” Lees has licensed conjugation chemistry to GlaxoSmithKline and the Serum Institute of India for use in their pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines.

“The most successful CDMO partnerships are rooted in cultural fit,” said Steve Lavezoli, VP of Business Development at Scorpius. “From a cultural standpoint, the leadership teams at Scorpius and FinaBio have a shared passion for quality, continuous improvement, and making scientific innovations more accessible to patients. We look forward to a long-term manufacturing partnership with FinaBio.”

To learn more about Scorpius’ facilities and services, visit ScorpiusBiologics.com.

To learn more about Fina Biosolutions’ conjugate vaccine technology and services, visit FinaBio.net.

About Fina Biosolutions

Fina Biosolutions provides laboratory services, conjugation technology and consulting in the field of conjugate vaccines and conjugation chemistry. FinaBio was founded in 2006 by Dr. Andrew Lees, the inventor on over 25 patents with 75 peer-reviewed publications. In addition, the company serves as a strategic R&D partner and licenses its technology to companies globally.

About Scorpius BioManufacturing

Scorpius BioManufacturing is a biologics CDMO that provides manufacturing, analytical and process development services. The company’s first facility in San Antonio, TX, prioritizes American-made equipment, reagents, and materials. By integrating analytical methods development, process development, cGMP manufacturing, product characterization, and QC release testing, Scorpius can efficiently develop a client-specific clinical manufacturing solution that enables a faster path to product commercialization. For more information, visit ScorpiusBiologics.com and follow Scorpius on LinkedIn.