Pharmaceuticals, Testing and Vaccine Intermediates Business for Infectious Disease Response

「At Pharma, demand adjustments for small-molecule and biopharmaceutical products lasted longer than expected, while delayed orders became concentrated in the fourth quarter.」

「Pharma's earnings remained weak due to the impact of scheduled maintenance at its biopharmaceutical facilities and delays in sales projects. Efforts to bring new small-molecule and biopharmaceutical projects to fruition are progressing, and earnings are expected to recover substantially from the second half onward. The company is strengthening research and development in Japan and overseas and focusing investment on expanding its domains.」

「Pharma's shipments were adjusted into the fourth-quarter consolidated accounting period in some areas, resulting in lower sales. Although the impact of shipment adjustments will remain in the third-quarter consolidated accounting period, earnings are expected to recover in the fourth-quarter consolidated accounting period due to concentrated shipments of new large-scale projects.」

「Kaneka Eurogentec's biopharmaceutical business is pursuing new biopharmaceutical projects by drawing on its ability to provide detailed support from development through mass production, while its small-molecule pharmaceuticals business is expanding sales in domestic and overseas markets based on its long track record. Construction to increase mRNA capacity is scheduled for completion at year-end, and the company will promote adoption for gene disease and cancer treatments to meet growing global demand.」

「Pharma's biopharmaceutical CDMO business at Kaneka Eurogentec is expanding steadily. Construction to increase mRNA capacity to meet growing customer needs is scheduled for completion at year-end, and strong growth is expected in applications for gene disease and cancer treatments. Demand for PA carriers for small-molecule drugs, including COVID-19 treatments and antibody drugs, remained firm.」

「In Pharma, Kaneka Eurogentec’s biopharmaceutical CDMO business expanded steadily. Demand from customers for mRNA, for which capacity expansion has been decided, is steadily increasing, with high growth expected for products used in genetic disease and cancer treatments. In small-molecule pharmaceuticals, sales of intermediates for the “Zocova® tablets” treatment contributed to performance.」

「Following the novel coronavirus PCR test kit, we plan to launch a combined novel coronavirus and influenza test kit shortly.」

「We doubled production of novel coronavirus PCR testing reagents and will expand the production system for antigen test kits. In Pharma, Kaneka Eurogentec’s biopharmaceutical CDMO business, including COVID-19 vaccines, is expanding steadily. We are preparing to increase capacity at production facilities for mRNA to expand our business base.」

「In Medical, the number of cases in Japan and overseas recovered to pre-COVID levels, and sales of blood purification devices, including those for ASO treatment, and catheters expanded steadily. The capacity expansion at the Vietnam plant was completed. Following the PCR test kit, we launched a novel coronavirus antigen test kit, contributing to the prevention of the spread of infection. In Pharma, contract manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines at Kaneka Eurogentec is progressing steadily.」

「In Pharma, contract manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines has started on Kaneka Eurogentec’s expanded line for biopharmaceuticals and is contributing to performance.」

「In Pharma, contract manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines has started on Kaneka Eurogentec’s expanded biopharmaceutical line, while research reagents and diagnostic testing services have performed well. API projects in small-molecule pharmaceuticals have also progressed steadily.」

「In Pharma, API sales in small-molecule pharmaceuticals increased steadily. In biopharmaceuticals, orders for new products are progressing on Kaneka Eurogentec’s expanded line. Sales of diagnostic reagents also increased, and contract manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine intermediates is expected to gain full momentum going forward.」

「Pharma is a core domain, along with Medical, in which the business is expanding. During the current fiscal year, orders for the contract manufacturing of Avigan API, PCR diagnostic reagents from Kaneka Eurogentec, and vaccine intermediates increased sharply as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified.」

「In Pharma, earnings grew steadily and increased significantly year on year, driven by the supply of Avigan API, expanded contract manufacturing of PCR diagnostic reagents and COVID-19 vaccine intermediates by Kaneka Eurogentec, and the start of operations at an expanded biopharmaceutical manufacturing line. The expanded biopharmaceutical line is expected to contribute to earnings growth as it reaches full-scale operation, along with the supply of vaccine intermediates.」

「In Pharma, earnings increased significantly year on year due to the start of supplying the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Avigan and PCR diagnostic reagents from Kaneka Eurogentec. Inquiries from major global pharmaceutical companies have increased, beginning with orders for manufacturing AnGes’s vaccine intermediates at Kaneka Eurogentec. Equipment to expand biopharmaceutical capacity is scheduled to begin operation in October and is expected to contribute to earnings growth. The company is considering an early expansion of capacity for the next phase.」

「As part of our response to COVID-19, we began supplying the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Avigan and diagnostic reagents. We will also undertake contract manufacturing of vaccine intermediates for AnGes using advanced technologies such as plasmid DNA. We launched an infectious disease research team focused on infectious diseases.」