Intravacc, Primrose Bio Renew Partnership Enhancing Conjugate Vaccine Development

Editor’s Take: The renewal of this pact gives third parties access to seamless solutions for vaccine conjugation, manufacturing, and supply.

Intravacc, a global CDMO specializing in infectious disease and therapeutic vaccines and biologics, and Primrose Bio are renewing their partnership. Primrose is a biotechnology company focused on technologies that improve manufacturing of next-generation therapeutics.

Contract Pharma first reported on the establishment of the partnership in March 2024. Then, as now, the two companies aimed to strategically enhance development and supply of conjugate vaccines.

Utility of Conjugate Vaccines

In updating the terms of the agreement, Intravacc says it is contributing comprehensive technical expertise and state-of-the-art facilities. The company also has capabilities in antigen conjugation process development, scale-up, and good manufacturing practice (GMP) production of conjugate vaccines.

Primrose Bio, by comparison, offers ultra-pure production, supply chain, and regulatory support for its PeliCRM197 carrier protein. The merger of that protein franchise with Primordial Genetics and Ligand Pharmaceuticals’ Pfenex Expression Technology platform in 2023 created Primrose.

PeliCRM197 is a vital ingredient in conjugate vaccine formulations, and the only CRM197 used in commercial vaccines available for purchase. It is offered in various quantities and grades—milligrams to kilograms—for research as well as GMP applications.

Intravacc and Primrose Both Enthusiastic

“We are excited to renew our partnership with Primrose Bio,” Ivo Lemmens, Intravacc Managing Director, said. “By combining our expertise with Primrose’s cutting-edge technologies, we aim to revolutionize the landscape of conjugate vaccine development.”

“Expanding the capability of our PeliCRM197 franchise with Intravacc now creates a full-service solution,” Primrose Bio CEO Andrew Burch said. “The combined know-how of the two firms fills a gap that is needed by the vaccine industry as a whole.”

Primrose Bio’s pharmaceutical partners include Merck, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Serum Institute of India, Alvogen, Arcellx, and Arcturus. For these and other third parties, the Intravacc partnership ensures access to seamless solutions for vaccine conjugation, manufacturing, and supply.