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Evonik delivers first lipids from German facility to BioNTech
Active ingredient production at Evonik in Hanau ©Evonik
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Evonik delivers first lipids from German facility to BioNTech

Evonik delivers first lipids from German facility to BioNTech

The German company Evonik is delivering first batches of urgently needed lipids used in production of COVID-19 vaccine to BioNTech on April 22. Initially, delivery was scheduled to start in the middle of the year. But, specialists at Evonik’s Hanau site have been able to set up the lipid production in just eight weeks, meeting the high-quality requirements for the component. « Setting up production at this speed is a great achievement, says Christian Kullmann, chairman of Evonik’s executive board. Increasing lipid production in Germany will also allow us to further accelerate the manufacturing of larger quantities of the vaccine. In this way, we are contributing to the fight against the pandemic.» As part of its strategic partnership with BioNTech, Evonik produces two different lipids for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Together with other lipids, they encapsulate to form a lipid nanoparticle (LNP), which serves as a protective shell around the mRNA to transport it safely into the cell. There, the mRNA is released to allow the vaccine to take effect. « This is a complex production process that only a few in the world master, says Dr. Thomas Riermeier, head of Evonik’s Health Care business line. We’re demonstrating once more that Evonik is a superior and reliable partner for the pharmaceutical industry, far beyond COVID-19

Active ingredient production at Evonik in Hanau ©Evonik

Active ingredient production at Evonik in Hanau ©Evonik

Anne-Lise Berthier 22/04/2021


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