Civica Rx, the startup drug company founded by health foundations, is teaming up with Thermo Fisher Scientific in a seven-year agreement to develop and manufacture medications, with Civica serving as the owner of the regulatory pathway.
Civica was founded to help health systems and hospitals facing drug shortages, but the startup has partnered with other drugmakers to supply needed medications to network hospitals. Under this agreement with Thermo, Civica will own the Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) and start to build its internal pipeline of essential medications.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is a U.S. biotechnology product development company with more than $24 billion in revenues.
Specifically, the two companies will focus on nine critical medications that hospitals need. They were selected by Civica’s advisory committees.
"We are thrilled to enter into a partnership with a world class organization that is dedicated to helping Civica serve patients," Martin VanTrieste, Civica’s president and CEO, said in a statement. "The Thermo Fisher team is known for top manufacturing talent, supply reliability, product quality and innovation. We look forward to working with them to develop and produce Civica medicines."
Civica Rx currently has nearly 50 health system members, representing 1,200 U.S. hopitals. The company also has 18 medications in production, some of which are already shipped for use in hospitals. Civica aimed to launch 20 generic drugs in 2019 to help hospitals facing shortages, and the company has continued to ramp up production with new partnerships, including with Hikma Pharma, Exela Pharma Sciences, Xellia Pharmaceuticals and Vizient.
"We thank Civica for their confidence in our team and capabilities and welcome this opportunity to work with them to help mitigate the risk of drug shortages in the U.S.," said Mike Shafer, president of Thermo Fisher’s Pharma Services business, said in a statement. "Together we will be able to deliver medicines to the market sooner to the patients who are waiting."
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."