- WACKER's Halle site will produce mRNA-based ARDS treatment using lipid nanoparticles.
- The facility will be operational by mid-2024.
- Pantherna is the first partner to receive preclinical material from this site.
- WACKER covers the entire production process from plasmid DNA to mRNA LNP formulation.
Production of mRNA-Based ARDS Treatment
WACKER's mRNA competence center in Halle will produce an active ingredient based on mRNA and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to combat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The production process, developed by WACKER, will be used to manufacture the PAN004 active ingredient supplied by Pantherna Therapeutics. This makes Pantherna the first partner to receive preclinical material from the new production plant, which is set to be operational by mid-2024. WACKER will manage the entire production process, from starting material and plasmid DNA to the mRNA LNP formulation and dispensed mRNA active.
New Production Lines and Pandemic Preparedness
The Halle site will feature four new production lines operated by Wacker Biotech GmbH, a subsidiary of Wacker Chemie AG. These lines will be used to contract manufacture mRNA vaccines and other products. Part of the new capacity will be available to the German federal government for pandemic preparedness. Pantherna is the first partner to benefit from this new facility.
Collaboration and Technological Transfer
Dr. Guido Seidel, managing director of Wacker Biotech GmbH, highlighted the early collaboration with Pantherna, which enabled the development of a cost-effective and scalable process. The transfer of technology to the new production facility is progressing rapidly. Dr. Jörg Kaufmann, CSO of Pantherna Therapeutics, emphasized the importance of WACKER's expertise in turning their innovative technology into a product.
Joint Research and Development
Since 2022, Pantherna and Wacker Biotech have collaborated on developing the manufacturing process for mRNA-based active ingredients. The process was optimized for scalability, and Pantherna's proprietary LNP formulation technology was transferred to Wacker Biotech. The resultant mRNA formulations were evaluated by Pantherna in a cell culture model. By the end of 2023, Pantherna decided to join Wacker Biotech in large-scale production for preclinical dose range finding studies, marking a significant step toward clinical development.
