FORT LEE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KEDPLASMA, one of the world’s leading collectors of high-quality human blood plasma, has advanced its long-range growth plans by expanding a plasma supply agreement with ImmunoTek Bio Centers, LLC. The agreement ensures that considerable volumes of plasma will be available to Kedrion Biopharma, parent company of KEDPLASMA, for the manufacture of therapies used in treating rare and serious disorders.
IMMUNOTEK will develop for KEDPLASMA a total of 28 plasma collection centers in the U.S. The agreement was made in parallel with KEDPLASMA acquiring two plasma collection centers from IMMUNOTEK, one in Shreveport, LA and another in Ocala, FL, Both centers are licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and by European regulatory authorities.
KEDPLASMA collects plasma for its parent company, Kedrion Biopharma, which, in turn, uses it in the production of safe, effective, plasma-derived therapies that treat a range of rare and serious health conditions, including hemophilia, immunological and neurological conditions, and certain acute, life-threatening conditions requiring treatment in the critical care setting.
KEDPLASMA is also one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-titer rabies plasma.
KEDPLASMA’s amended agreement with ImmunoTek Bio Centers, LLC and the acquisition of the two plasma collection centers is another step forward in a five-year strategic plan to increase the plasma supply and number of centers the Company operates in the United States so that more patients may have access to the therapies offered by Kedrion Biopharma.
“The expansion of the agreement further strengthens the ability of Kedrion Biopharma to manufacture and distribute the therapies so needed by patients who have certain rare and serious health conditions,” said Helen Nasser, KEDPLASMA United States Managing Director. “It is always exciting to bring on new centers and to be able to welcome new staff in a fully functioning, licensed center. This allows the Company to instantly focus on increasing production and insuring we can meet the growth plan and plasma needs of our parent.”
”KEDPLASMA has acquired a total of four plasma collection centers from IMMUNOTEK since 2015. “We are excited to enhance our relationship with Kedrion Biopharma, a fast-growing leader in the plasma therapeutics business,” said Jerome Parnell III, IMMUNOTEK’s CEO and President, “Our commitment to developing a safe and predictable supply of plasma will continue to be the foundation of our business values and the core sustainability of IMMUNOTEK’s future as one of the world’s largest independent plasma suppliers.”
About KEDPLASMA and Kedrion Biopharma
KEDPLASMA LLC. was established in 2004 and is a subsidiary of Kedrion Biopharma Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Kedrion S.p.A.. Kedrion Biopharma Inc. and KEDPLASMA LLC. are both headquartered in the United States. KEDPLASMA LLC. operates 15 US collection centers and employs more than 500 people. KEDPLASMA collects high quality human blood plasma, the vital raw material that allows Kedrion Biopharma to produce and distribute plasma-derived therapeutic products for use in treating and preventing serious diseases, disorders and conditions such as hemophilia, primary immune system deficiencies and Rh sensitization which can lead to hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn.
Headquartered in Tuscany, Italy, Kedrion Biopharma has a market presence in approximately 100 countries. It ranks fifth in terms of annual revenues in the global plasma derivatives market. Its largest and fastest growing market is the United States, with U.S. headquarters in Fort Lee, NJ. Italy is its next most important market, followed by Turkey, Mexico and Russia. In 2015, Kedrion Biopharma reached more than 570.3 million euros (more than $621MM USD) in gross revenues. Nearly $275 million of that sum was generated in the U.S. The company employs over 2,240 people worldwide.
Kedrion Biopharma acts as a vital bridge connecting donors and patients. We operate on a global scale with the aim of expanding patients’ access to available treatments. Kedrion Biopharma places a high value on the welfare of those who benefit from its products and on the people and communities where it operates.
Following a vertically-integrated business model, Kedrion Biopharma manages the entire plasma cycle from supply and therapy production to distribution. In Italy, Kedrion Biopharma is a partner of the National Health Service and collaborates in pursuing self-sufficiency in the development and supply of plasma-derived medicinal products. The Company’s goal is to foster self-sufficiency in plasma-derived therapies worldwide and to bring healthier lives to people everywhere who suffer from rare disorders.
Kedrion Biopharma has six production plants: Three in Italy (a new plant in Castelvecchio Pascoli, now nearing completion, and one in Bolognana, both in the province of Lucca, and one in Sant’Antimo, Naples); one in Hungary (Gödöllő, Budapest); and one in the United States (Melville, NY). A facility in Siena, Tuscany, specializes in research and development of orphan drugs.
KEDPLASMA operates collection centers in the United States. Its sister companies in Europe operate centers in Germany and Hungary. All centers have been granted approval and licensure by European healthcare authorities and/or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are managed in strict compliance with all regulations. KEDPLASMA is also one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-titer rabies plasma. The center in Buffalo, New York, specializes in collecting hyper-immune Anti-D human plasma for the manufacture of an Anti-D immunoglobulin pharmaceutical product. State-of-the-art production facilities producing a wide range of products and an unwavering commitment to research and development are the key factors in Kedrion Biopharma’s success.
About ImmunoTek Bio Centers LLC
ImmunoTek BioCenters is an emerging bio-tech company committed to the safe collection and procurement of human blood plasma from the public. The management team has extensive experience in the blood, plasma, and biopharma industries. Through contracts and strategic agreements with pharmaceutical companies, IMMUNOTEK is fully capable of constructing, opening, FDA/EU licensing, and managing multiple plasma collection sites and plasma supply contracts in order to meet on going demand in the plasma proteins therapeutics market. Growth of current therapeutic drugs and vaccines as well as additional new therapeutic indications expected to put considerable strain on global blood plasma supply. IMMUNOTEK currently owns and operates plasma collection centers in the USA and has over 40 collection centers in development through 2020.
