Meiji Seika Pharma Announces Investment in ARCALIS, Inc.

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TOKYO, November 14, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan, President and Representative Director: Daikichiro Kobayashi; hereinafter referred to as "Meiji Seika Pharma") today announced its investment in ARCALIS, Inc. (Headquarters: Minami-soma City, Fukushima Prefecture; President: Satoshi Takamatsu; hereinafter referred to as "ARCALIS").

ARCALIS is a joint venture between Axcelead, Inc., which manages a group of world-class pharmaceutical and healthcare platform companies, and Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. a commercial mRNA medicines and vaccines company. ARCALIS is engaged in the development of mRNA pharmaceuticals and vaccines, as well as contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services. The company plans to establish a comprehensive system for the domestic production of mRNA vaccines, ranging from the development of manufacturing technologies to the production of both active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulations.

In response to the lessons learned from the delays experienced in the development of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, ARCALIS and Meiji Seika Pharma are committed to advancing the development, production, and supply of mRNA vaccines in line with the "Strategy for Strengthening Vaccine Development and Production Systems" adopted by the Japanese government. This strategy is designed to ensure that the necessary quantities of vaccines are delivered to the population in a timely manner when they are needed.

This investment will further strengthen the collaborative relationship between the two companies. The combination of ARCALIS' advanced technology and operations in mRNA pharmaceuticals and vaccines with Meiji Seika Pharma's expertise in manufacturing, post-marketing safety management and stable product supply is expected to significantly improve the supply of mRNA vaccines in Japan.

Meiji Seika Pharma plans to supply the domestically produced next-generation sa-mRNA vaccine (replicon) ‘KOSTAIVE® for Intramuscular Injection’ in December 2024. This vaccine will be formulated by a Meiji Seika Pharma Group company using the active pharmaceutical ingredient produced by ARCALIS. Supply will commence upon approval of the partial change in manufacturing and marketing authorization for the additional domestic manufacturing sites currently under application.

Meiji Seika Pharma is committed to the timely and reliable production and supply of essential vaccines to the public in response to potential future infectious diseases.

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