Lonza to produce Casgevy for Vertex

Swiss contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Lonza (VTX: LONN) has signed a long-term commercial supply agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRTX) for Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel).

Casgevy is the first cell therapy based on the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, discoverers of which were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. Casgevy offers the potential of a one-time treatment for eligible patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia or sickle cell disease. In 2023, it became one of the first cell-based gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD), along with bluebird bio’s (Nasdaq: BLUE) Lyfgenia (lovotibeglogene autotemcel [lovo-cel)], to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Analysts at William Blair estimate that Casgevy sales will reach a total of around $80 million for the 2024 full year.