Kafui Linda Abbah-Foli, Head of Project Development at the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, announced the initiative during the opening of the 2026 China–West Africa Medical and Health Industry Expo and AI Deployment and Project Cooperation Summit in Accra. She said the development is intended to tackle key challenges affecting manufacturers, particularly difficulties related to access to land and dependable infrastructure.

“We are not just building a factory; we are building an ecosystem,” she said, noting that the pharmaceutical industrial park will include roads, electricity, water, wastewater and effluent treatment facilities needed for pharmaceutical production.

Land Secured and Investor Interest

According to Ms Abbah-Foli, 2,000 acres of land have been identified in the Shai-Osudoku District, while pre-feasibility studies have already been completed. The development already has an anchor investor, alongside a pipeline of potential tenants that includes established Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies and international manufacturers from India, China and the United States. Ghanaian health professionals in the diaspora have also shown interest in the project.

Project development activities are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Following that stage, full feasibility studies, detailed design and master planning will commence. Plans for the pharmaceutical industrial park also include a township and housing facilities for workers. These facilities are expected to have the capacity to support up to 20,000 people during the project’s first five years.

Reducing Pharmaceutical Import Dependence

The development is also intended to address Ghana’s reliance on imported pharmaceutical products. Ms Abbah-Foli said Ghana currently imports about 70% of its pharmaceutical needs, including most active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients.

“The goal is to ensure that we build a park that will cater for the whole value chain,” she said, explaining that the project is expected to support greater self-sufficiency in the production of essential medicines and health products.

The initiative could also strengthen the country’s resilience during future health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Abbah-Foli pointed to Ghana’s changing disease burden, including increasing cases of non-communicable diseases such as stroke and diabetes, as another reason for strengthening domestic pharmaceutical production. Local manufacturing of medicines for these conditions would reduce dependence on imports and, over time, help ease pressure on the national health bill.

Participatory Land Acquisition and Health Manufacturing

Ms Abbah-Foli identified land acquisition as a potential challenge but said the 24-Hour Economy programme had introduced a participatory land acquisition model. Under this approach, traditional authorities and land-owning communities would become shareholders in the project and receive benefits through dividends and rental income. She said the model is intended to make host communities active participants in the development while allowing them to benefit directly from the economic opportunities generated by the project.

Beyond healthcare delivery, Ms Abbah-Foli said Ghana needs to focus on the wider health value chain, including domestic production of medicines, medical equipment, supplies and health technologies. She said the country presents opportunities for investors, manufacturers, medical technology companies and research institutions looking for a base for production, innovation and technology transfer. She urged stakeholders to view Ghana not simply as a market for health products but as a centre for manufacturing, research, innovation and technology development.

The summit brought together stakeholders from Ghana, China and across West Africa to examine medical and health industry development, artificial intelligence, technology transfer, investment and project cooperation. Speakers highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, industry, academia, research institutions and international investors in developing a competitive health manufacturing sector capable of creating jobs, generating economic value and improving Ghana’s health security.

The meeting brought together Acting Director-General Professor Nicholas Crisp from the Department of Health alongside senior officials representing Trade, Industry and Competition; Science, Technology and Innovation; National Treasury; and the Presidency. Additional stakeholders including the Competition Commission, South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), and the Medicines Pricing Committee participated in the discussions.

Addressing Pharmaceutical Sector Challenges Through Open Dialogue

“The meeting provided an opportunity for a frank and constructive exchange on the pressures facing the sector, including heightened global geopolitical uncertainty and global supply-chain disruptions. Industry outlined the practical impact of current conditions, while government shared the broad direction of its evolving localisation roadmap,” the DoH said in a statement.

“Participants recognised that, while the medium- and longer-term elements of the roadmap are being finalised and appropriate funding identified, several urgent matters require immediate attention and resolution. Government undertook to consider an extraordinary single exit price [SEP] adjustment, in line with existing domestic and geopolitical pricing pressures,” the statement added.

Structured Framework for Ongoing Collaboration

The parties established a formal, institutionalised engagement mechanism designed to meet regularly and ensure sustained dialogue. This framework aims to create predictability and transparency in addressing pharmaceutical sector challenges while maintaining focus on patient outcomes and healthcare system stability.

Priority Areas for Joint Action

The collaborative framework identified several critical focus areas requiring immediate and sustained attention:

Medicine Pricing and Affordability – Development of a fair, transparent, and predictable single exit price adjustment mechanism that serves dual objectives: ensuring medicine affordability for patients while supporting sustainable supply. Joint review of applicable regulations governing pricing mechanisms forms part of this priority.

Regulatory Strengthening and Industry Coordination – Continued development of SAHPRA’s regulatory capacity paired with structured engagement between regulators and industry. Early collaborative planning aims to minimize operational disruption, reduce unnecessary costs, support economic growth and export competitiveness, and ensure timely access to safe, effective, and quality medicines.

Manufacturing Investment and Export Development – Capital investment support and export incentives designed to stimulate greater pharmaceutical manufacturing investment within South Africa and advance the sector’s export ambitions. This includes targeted assistance for the distressed contract manufacturing subsector.

Public-Sector Procurement Reform – Implementation of transparent, predictable, and consistent procurement rules that support localisation objectives, ensure reliable medicine supply, and enable long-term business planning and contracting arrangements.

Alternative Reimbursement Models – Exploration of innovative reimbursement approaches that could enhance affordability of selected medicines for patients and healthcare systems.

Regulatory Efficiency – Removal of unnecessary regulatory burdens and implementation of measures reducing the cost of business operations, thereby supporting investment and more efficient pharmaceutical supply channels.

Investment Incentives – Development of a comprehensive incentive package aimed at sustaining current manufacturing capacity, attracting new sector investment, and strengthening local production and medicine security.

Government’s Commitment to Pharmaceutical Sector Challenges Resolution

The Department of Health statement said, “Government underscored its commitment and readiness to work closely with industry to build a stronger pharmaceutical future across the public and private sectors, in the best interests of patients and the country’s healthcare system.”

“The engagement reflects a shared recognition of the pharmaceutical sector’s importance to patient access, sustained medicine supply, public health, investment, employment and South Africa’s industrial-development objectives,” the statement added.

This agreement marks an important milestone in the development of Global Aviation Africa (GAA), a continental platform dedicated to supporting the modernization of Africa’s airport infrastructure and fostering collaboration among public authorities, airport operators, airlines, investors, and solution providers.

The MoU was signed by Mr. David Wang, Founder, Chairman & Group CEO of MIE Events, and Ms. Daksha Patel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Niche Ideas in Dubai.

Under this partnership, Niche Ideas will contribute its international expertise in event development, stakeholder engagement, and the creation of high-value networking platforms for the aviation industry.

Morocco at the Heart of Africa’s Aviation Growth Strategy

This initiative is fully aligned with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, whose leadership has positioned Morocco as a strategic gateway between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Through numerous Royal initiatives promoting African integration, infrastructure development, and South-South cooperation, Morocco has established itself as a leading economic and investment hub on the continent and a preferred destination for international investors seeking access to African markets.

The development of the aviation sector and airport infrastructure plays a central role in supporting Morocco’s economic growth, enhancing regional connectivity, facilitating trade and tourism, and strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a key platform for international business and investment.

The decision to launch this initiative in Morocco reflects the Kingdom’s strategic ambition to reinforce its role as a regional and continental hub connecting Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, while serving as a catalyst for innovation, investment, and economic cooperation.

Over the past several months, MIE Events and its Moroccan subsidiary, Global Exhibition Morocco (GEX), have engaged in a series of consultations and meetings with both public and private sector stakeholders across Morocco to explore opportunities for developing this platform within the Kingdom.

These discussions have generated highly positive feedback and resulted in several principle partnership agreements from key organizations operating in the fields of aviation, infrastructure, transportation, investment, and economic development.

Advanced discussions are currently underway with various national institutions to formalize the strategic partnerships that will support the launch of this initiative.

A Platform Dedicated to the Future of African Aviation

Global Aviation Africa aims to become one of the continent’s leading events dedicated to airport infrastructure, aviation innovation, air connectivity, sustainable aviation development, and strategic investment opportunities.

The event will bring together government decision-makers, airport authorities, airlines, international investors, financial institutions, technology providers, and aviation experts from across Africa and around the world.

Through this initiative, MIE Events reaffirms its commitment to supporting the development of Africa’s infrastructure ecosystem while contributing to Morocco’s ambitions in connectivity, investment attraction, and international cooperation.

For more information on Global Aviation Africa, please visit www.gaa-expo.com

Dr. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, who went on to preside over the ceremony, said that it was a direct outcome of the high-level discussions that took place between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil.

Pate, while speaking at the ceremony, reaffirmed the determination of the government to reposition the health industry of Nigeria for self-dependence along with global competitiveness.

This kind of strategic collaboration crops up from the high-level engagements that have taken place between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his counterpart from Brazil, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at recent official by President Tinubu visit to Brazil, where both the leaders committed themselves to expanding their cooperation when it comes to vaccine production and pharmaceutical development, along with a much wider industrial growth.

The MoU that has been signed to push local pharma manufacturing is indeed a concrete expression of their commitment when it comes to making the local manufacturing of vaccines and essential medicines more robust. It transforms the presidential-level commitments into operational partnerships, which advance the health security of both the nations and also speed up the industrial development under the gamut of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

By way of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative – NHSRII, they are indeed systematically unlocking the healthcare value chain, expanding technology transfer, and decreasing the dependence on imports, and at the same time, positioning Nigeria as a regional manufacturing powerhouse.

Daju Kachollom, the Permanent Secretary, FMOH, stressed the prominence of the partnership and also the commitment by the Ministry when it comes to driving certain reforms that are impactful.

He added the day indeed goes on to mark yet another important step when it comes to the journey of Nigeria towards building a much more resilient as well as competitive health industry. This collaboration happens to reflect their collective determination in order to strengthen local manufacturing, widen the access to essential health commodities, and also make sure that the government-led reforms go on to translate into real opportunities for their people.

Kachollom further said that they welcome their partners from Brazil and also the private sector and look forward to a collaboration that is productive and is going to unlock novel possibilities throughout the healthcare value chain.

When it comes to his part, the National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr. Abdul Mukhtar, underscored the role of the initiative in addressing the systemic challenges. He said that the PVAC was established in order to unlock the bottlenecks that are prevalent in the healthcare value chain of Nigeria. This collaboration is indeed a major leap towards attaining sustainable, local vaccine and pharmaceutical production, which goes on to meet the national and regional requirements.

Mr. Ricardo Marques representing the Brazilian partner EMS Brazil went on to express his confidence when it comes to the joint effort, stating that Brazil is indeed proud to work alongside Nigeria when it comes to this transformative initiative. Their collaboration is going to strengthen the industrial linkages, support the long-term goal of pharmaceutical independence in Nigeria, and also deepen the technical cooperation.

Oaks Medical Limited’s Dr. Ayotunde Oyedeji stated that the MoU does align with the ambition of Nigeria so as to build a robust and more resilient pharmaceutical manufacturing base. They are indeed pleased to be part of this endeavour to give sustainable access when it comes to medical products that are high-quality.

The mRNA vaccine facility will rely on BioNTech’s “BioNTainers,” modular units that can be set up quickly and adjusted to produce different mRNA vaccines. Built to be flexible and scalable, it meets health challenges while helping expand the local vaccine network. If successful, the Kigali site could become the continent’s first commercial mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility.

“This manufacturing site is about empowering Africa with the tools and expertise to tackle health challenges independently,” said Karl Nehammer, EIB Vice-President responsible for health. “By working with BioNTech and the European Commission, we’re supporting a future where vaccines are produced in Africa, for Africa. This partnership is a major step forward for health, jobs, and innovation across the continent.”

The facility is expected to not only produce vaccines for widespread use but also manufacture clinical trial materials for local partners, supporting skills development and job creation while strengthening Rwanda’s position as a hub for medical innovation. “We recognize that the challenges in global health are too vast for any single entity to solve alone. BioNTech is dedicated to working across the entire development chain, partnering with local communities, researchers, governments, and not-for-profit organizations to make a meaningful impact. The support by the European Commission, European Investment Bank and CEPI are an important contribution to the joint efforts of advancing and strengthening the implementation of a local mRNA vaccine ecosystem – covering the spectrum from clinical trials to commercial production,” said Sierk Poetting, Chief Operating Officer of BioNTech.

The initiative reflects close collaboration between BioNTech, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and Team Europe partners, EC and EIB. It aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and supports the African Union’s goal of producing 60% of the continent’s vaccines domestically by 2040. Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships, said: “Global health is a key priority of the Global Gateway strategy, and the EU has already invested more than €1.9 billion in local vaccine and medicine manufacturing and affordable access in Africa. The agreement with BioNTech to support the advancement of its state-of-the-art mRNA manufacturing facility in Rwanda will boost expertise across the region and build increased independence from entities outside of Africa.”

CEPI’s backing, including a grant of up to €130 million announced in 2024, is intended to ensure that vaccines produced at the Kigali site remain accessible and affordable. Dr Amadou Sall, Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain at CEPI, added: “Establishing the pioneering Rwanda facility as the first mRNA vaccine manufacturing site in the region following the globally recognised Goods Manufacturing Practice will boost regional vaccine capacity to help more rapidly respond to public health threats, including new outbreaks that strike locally. The project will make an important contribution to Africa CDC’s goal for 60% of the vaccines needed by the continent to be produced on the continent by 2040, strengthening regional health security and global pandemic preparedness.”

Kåre Schultz, Teva’s President and CEO, said, “Teva is taking decisive and immediate action to address external pressures and internal inefficiencies. Our new company structure will enable stronger alignment and integration between R&D, operations and the commercial regions, allowing us to become a more agile, lean and profitable company.”

Schultz continued, “We will focus on driving sustainable value creation. The new management team will position Teva for turnaround in the short to medium term. We are already working on a detailed restructuring plan for Teva and will share it in mid-December. It remains our absolute priority to stabilize the company’s operating profit and cash flow in order to improve our financial situation, while being focused on short-term revenue and cash generation, and at the same time, ensure we deliver on our commitment to supply high-quality medicines to patients around the world.”

About Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is a leading global pharmaceutical company that delivers high-quality, patient-centric healthcare solutions used by approximately 200 million patients in over 60 markets every day. Headquartered in Israel, Teva is the world’s largest generic medicines producer, leveraging its portfolio of more than 1,800 molecules to produce a wide range of generic products in nearly every therapeutic area. In specialty medicines, Teva has the world-leading innovative treatment for multiple sclerosis as well as late-stage development programs for other disorders of the central nervous system, including movement disorders, migraine, pain and neurodegenerative conditions, as well as a broad portfolio of respiratory products. Teva is leveraging its generics and specialty capabilities in order to seek new ways of addressing unmet patient needs by combining drug development with devices, services and technologies. Teva’s net revenues in 2016 were $21.9 billion. For more information, visit www.tevapharm.com

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
IR Contacts:
United States
Kevin C. Mannix,
215-591-8912
or
Ran Meir,
215-591-3033
or
Israel
Tomer Amitai,
972 (3) 926-7656
or
PR Contacts:
Israel
Iris Beck Codner,
972 (3) 926-7208
or
United States
Denise Bradley,
215-591-8974

These data demonstrate immune-stimulatory activity in solid tumor patients with highly-refractory malignancies, including patients who have failed prior checkpoint inhibitors. Also presented were pre-clinical data establishing the immune-modulatory and anti-tumor effects of RGX-104. The company presented the data at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Philadelphia.

RGX-104 is a liver X receptor (LXR) agonist that upregulates the expression of the target gene, Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), triggering several downstream effects via ApoE receptors. In pre-clinical data presented today, treatment with RGX-104 in mouse models resulted in dual effects on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and dendritic cells (DCs), both innate immune cells that play a central role in regulating anti-tumor immunity and response to checkpoint inhibitors. Innate immune activation with RGX-104, coupled with a reduction in tumor blood vessels, resulted in anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy as well as synergy with checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) in several drug-resistant mouse models. These data provide rationale for Rgenix’s ongoing Phase 1a/b trial of RGX-104 in advanced cancer patients and support evaluation of RGX-104 as both a monotherapy as well as in combination with CPIs.

As part of the ongoing Phase 1a/b clinical trial, 15 patients with a variety of solid tumors have been treated with escalating doses of RGX-104 monotherapy. Patients treated with RGX-104 had a median of six prior therapies with a range of 1-12, highlighting a population of patients with profoundly resistant disease.

Activation of the LXR-ApoE pathway with oral administration of RGX-104 was associated with immune-stimulatory activity in 9 of 10 evaluable patients. This was demonstrated by an increase (up to 11-fold) in activated circulating PD-1+CD8+ T cells during treatment. T cell activation was observed in patients who experienced modulation of the innate immune system during treatment. The effect of RGX-104 on the innate immune system consisted of both MDSC depletion (up to 95% decrease) as well as DC activation as indicated by induction of PD-L1 expression (up to 100% increase). In most cases these effects were observed within two weeks of treatment initiation and generally preceded the onset of T cell activation.

Safety data demonstrate good tolerability with on-target safety findings in the first three dosing cohorts. One patient experienced a DLT of grade 4 reversible neutropenia – a known potential effect of LXR agonism – that reversed within one week, allowing the patient to subsequently tolerate a 50% dose reduction. No MTD has been reached to date. Stable disease has been observed in 4 of 12 evaluable patients, including three who have failed prior checkpoint inhibitor therapy, for periods of at least 8 weeks.

“We are very pleased to see robust evidence of immune stimulation in such highly-pretreated patients,” said Roger Waltzman, MD, MBA, and Chief Medical Officer of Rgenix. “CPI therapy is now commonplace but only a minority of patients derive clinical benefit. We hope the effects of RGX-104 on modulating barriers to innate and adaptive immune function will enable a larger number of patients to benefit from this therapy. These preliminary results also highlight the potential for development of RGX-104 as a monotherapy.”

Rgenix plans to enroll subsequent dose-escalation cohorts of the RGX-104 monotherapy trial in Q4 2017. Additionally, Rgenix is planning to initiate the Phase 1b expansion component of the study, comprised of disease directed cohorts receiving RGX-104 monotherapy as well as cohorts receiving RGX-104 combined with a CPI, projected to begin in 1H 2018.

“These preliminary data establish RGX-104 as a potential first-in-class oral immunotherapy agent with broad immune-stimulatory activity and a unique dual mechanism targeting innate immunity,” said Masoud Tavazoie, MD, PhD, and Chief Executive Officer of Rgenix. “These results also further validate our discovery platform at Rgenix, as well as our pipeline of other drug candidates slated to begin entering clinical-stage development in 2018.”

The LXR-ApoE pathway was discovered as a cancer target using a microRNA (miRNA) based target discovery approach originally developed at The Rockefeller University and now exclusively licensed to Rgenix.

About Rgenix

Rgenix, Inc., is a privately-held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer drugs that target key pathways in cancer progression. The company is pursuing several first-in-class drug candidates to treat cancers of high unmet need. Rgenix identifies novel cancer targets using a microRNA based target discovery platform originally developed by Rgenix’s scientific co-founders at The Rockefeller University and now exclusively licensed to Rgenix. The company brings together distinguished scientific founders, a seasoned Board, and a leadership team comprised of experienced drug developers. The company is funded by leading biotechnology investors, including Novo A/S, Sofinnova Partners, and Alexandria Venture Investments. For more information, please visit www.rgenix.com

Contacts
Media:
RooneyPartners
Marion Janic, 212-223-4017
mjanic@rooneyco.com

SPCI is developing Altemia™ as a treatment for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease.

The Company previously announced enrollment completion of the clinical trial, highlighting high retention rates and the possibility for patients to enroll into an open label extension that will collect long term safety data while continuing to monitor the effectiveness of the drug.

“We are excited that database lock, another key milestone for the study, is being achieved. We will discuss progress made in our sickle cell research initiatives with the scientific community at SCDAA. We expect to present all data available at future scientific events. Altemia™ has the potential to be an important new treatment option for people with sickle cell disease who experience devastating vaso-occlussive events, which can be extremely disruptive in their lives”, said Dr. Frederick D. Sancilio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SPCI.

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of genetic disorders that results in dysfunctional hemoglobin (HbS) and a depletion of certain lipids in the walls of blood cells. These abnormalities create an inflammatory state and an increase in the red and white blood cell’s tendency to adhere to each other, resulting in episodic occlusions of blood vessels, reperfusion damage and excruciating pain. Ultimately, many children develop organ damage and strokes. There are approximately 100,000 cases of SCD in the United States. Treatment options are limited. The cost of care for this group may exceed $5BB.

About Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc.
Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc. (SPCI) is a fully integrated, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing pharmaceutical products, including those based on our proprietary Advanced Lipid Technologies® (ALT®) platform. SPCI is pursuing treatments for sickle cell disease, short bowel syndrome and severe hypertriglyceridemia. We utilize our cGMP compliant facility to develop and manufacture our products. Our ALT® platform is designed to enhance the bioavailability, reduce the food effect and improve the efficacy of lipids and lipophilic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Lipids are hydrophobic or amphipathic molecules, including fatty acids, steroids (including hormones) and fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K). Our business model is to apply our ALT® platform to lipids or lipophilic APIs to create unique product candidates that address the disorders and diseases resulting from imbalances of lipids in the body. In addition to our primary focus of developing our proprietary products using the ALT® platform, we make use of, and license rights to, our proprietary ALT® platform and other technologies to third parties, providing both development and subsequent soft gelatin encapsulation services. More information is available at: www.sancilio.com

Contacts

Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc.
Marc Wolff, 561-847-2302
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

SHAPE (Selective 2′ Hydroxyl Acylation analyzed by Primer Extension), the most widely used approach for probing RNA secondary structure, was developed by Kevin Weeks, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of North Carolina in 2005.1 SHAPE studies provide scientists with experimental assessment of predicted loops, bulges and pockets in the two-dimensional structures of RNA. The resulting integrated structural prediction enables biological insight into RNA function and detection of ligand binding sites within the RNA.

SHAPEware offers a standardized and modular set of tools for scientists to analyze data generated by SHAPE methodologies and was initially developed by Arrakis to streamline and standardize its own analysis of the SHAPE data that the company is generating in its proprietary drug discovery efforts to design RNA-targeted small molecules (rSMs).

“We are thrilled to share SHAPEware with the broader community of RNA experts,” said Russ Petter, PhD, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Arrakis. “The field of RNA structure is advancing rapidly and open-source software allows us to accelerate the best thinking from hundreds of potential users.”

SHAPEware will help researchers identify and evaluate the distinct characteristics of folded RNA through the following features and upgrades:

SHAPEware is designed to be highly modular and customizable, allowing users to evaluate and compare results from different analytic algorithms and SHAPE methodologies.
The initial launch of SHAPEware includes a module to analyze data from SHAPE-MaP (mutational profiling) experiments.

Arrakis continues to develop and adapt novel SHAPE methodologies to study RNA structure. It is anticipated that additional updates and modules will be added.

The SHAPEware open-source software can be downloaded at www.shapewareRNA.com, and the free license requires users to share feedback and any modifications or improvements with the community.

About SHAPE
SHAPE is an acronym for selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension, developed by Kevin Weeks, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of North Carolina in 2005, and describes the chemical reaction that is used to assess the flexibility of RNA at each nucleotide in any given sequence. This information can be used to establish the secondary structure of an RNA, to monitor structural differences between related RNAs or a single RNA in different states, and to infer ligand binding sites. Several SHAPE-based methodologies have been developed in academic laboratories: SHAPE-Seq, SHAPE-MaP (SHAPE followed by mutational profiling) and icSHAPE (in vivo click selective SHAPE), each requiring different experimental protocols and analysis software.

About RNA-targeted Small Molecules (rSMs)
Emerging insights and technologies focused on understanding the structure of RNA enable the design of RNA-targeted small molecules, or rSMs, a new class of medicines that directly bind and modify the biological function of RNA to treat disease. Unlike conventional drug discovery approaches that focus on proteins, an rSM is designed to modulate function of an individual RNA, and, in the case of mRNA, the expressed protein, by selectively binding to specific, predictable structures in functional regions in the RNA. This new drug discovery approach enables the design of small-molecule drugs that can unlock the therapeutic potential of well-known targets that are not accessible with today’s drugs, as well as identifying new drug targets to intervene in diseases in new ways.

About Arrakis Therapeutics
Arrakis Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery of a new class of medicines that directly target RNA. The company has developed a proprietary platform to identify new RNA targets and drug candidates to treat diseases not addressed by today’s medicines. Arrakis is building a proprietary pipeline of RNA-targeted small molecules (rSMs) focused on neurologic diseases, cancer, and rare genetic diseases.

Arrakis was founded in 2015 by Russell C. Petter, Ph.D., Alan Walts, Ph.D., Henri Termeer and Raj Parekh, Ph.D. with a vision to create a proprietary, transformational discovery platform that identifies small-molecule drugs that act directly on disease-causing RNA. The company was established with seed funding provided by Advent Life Sciences and Henri Termeer. The company brings together scientific leaders in RNA structure, chemistry and biology, along with a highly experienced management team and the backing of leading life sciences investors. The company is located in Waltham, Mass. Please visit www.arrakistx.com

Contacts

For Arrakis Therapeutics
Kathryn Morris, 914-204-6412
kathryn@theyatesnetwork.com

Avara Pharmaceutical Services has signed an agreement with GSK to acquire a GSK consumer healthcare manufacturing facility in Aiken, South Carolina. “This acquisition is an important component of our strategic plan and expands our services by adding additional solid dose capability in the United States, which is in very high demand,” stated Timothy C. Tyson, Chairman and CEO. The transaction is expected to complete on or before June 1, 2018.

Avara Pharmaceutical Services is a state-of-the-art contract manufacturing and technical services organization providing both API formulation and manufacturing, along with secondary formulation, manufacturing and packaging of small molecule drugs, including highly potent compounds. Avara has secondary manufacturing technologies including granulation, coating, blending, encapsulation, compression and drying of tablets and capsules. Avara also has sterile manufacturing capability.

Following completion of the transaction with GSK, Avara Pharmaceutical Services will have seven sites. Three in the US, including the corporate HQs; one in Puerto Rico, one in the UK, one in Ireland, and one in Italy.

Norwalk, CT (USA) – Corporate HQ
Arecibo, Puerto Rico – Secondary manufacturing and packaging
Shannon, Ireland – API formulation and manufacturing
Norman, OK (USA) – Secondary manufacturing and packaging
Avlon, United Kingdom – API formulation and manufacturing
Liscate, Italy – Sterile Manufacturing.
Aiken, South Carolina – Secondary manufacturing and packaging

“As we celebrate another important milestone, we continue with great confidence to add pharmaceutical services and capabilities with complementary offerings in key regions in this rapidly growing market. Each of our sites have significant professional experience, state of the art capability and a long history of delivering high quality pharmaceuticals that meet or exceed customer expectations and regulatory requirements in every major market around the world. The people who are a part of the Avara team are the key to our long-term success,” said Tyson. “We are focused on delivering on our commitments and earning the trust of every customer we deal with.”

About Avara
Avara Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., based in Norwalk, Connecticut is an international pharmaceutical services company that delivers world-class contract manufacturing and technical services to the pharmaceutical industry. Avara has primary and secondary manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe and supplies products to all major markets around the world. Avara’s broad experience with supply chain, commercialization, product launch and product transfer allow us to sustain exemplary levels of product quality and regulatory compliance. The company is known to exceed customer service level expectations and consistently deliver on time, in full at a fair price.
For more information, please visit our website at www.avara.com