Recipharm AB has acquired Cobra Biomanufacturing and combined it with its existing biologics business in Sweden. The integrated companies will be called RecipharmCobra Biologics and will operate as Recipharm’s specialist biologics division.

The acquisition creates a biological service offering that includes cell line development, analytical and process development and GMP production of recombinant proteins, DNA, viruses and cell products for Phase I – III trials, as well as fill-finish and formulation capabilities.

RecipharmCobra Biologics will have cGMP-approved production facilities in Keele and Oxford, UK and Södertälje, Sweden, and holds IP and licenses in expression technologies, including ORT-VAC and UCOE.

Simon Saxby, former chief executive officer of Cobra Biomanufacturing, will head up RecipharmCobra Biologics, serving as vice president, Biologics.

Thomas Eldered, chief executive officer of Recipharm AB, commented, “Integrating the experience of Cobra Biomanufacturing’s staff, expertise and established services with our own previous offering has, we believe, created a much stronger force in the industry’s biologics outsourcing sector. Indeed, in addition to antibodies and rProteins, our integrated company competitively offers both process development and cGMP manufacturing services for viruses, DNA and cells.”