What's next – plus, biomass power and lone star ticks

Today, we have news on Boehringer Ingelheim’s new biomass power plant and the expanding range of lone star ticks—plus, how you can weigh in on what’s next for BIO’s communications products. (731 words, 3 minutes, 39 seconds)

What’s next for Good Day BIO – and how you can weigh in

In a world of constant change, BIO continuously evaluates how to better serve members and the biotech ecosystem. Now, we want your input.

How we got here: Good Day BIO launched in January 2020, quickly becoming one of the most trusted sources of news about the industry’s COVID-19 response. Since then, we’ve covered biotech stories and milestones that have transformed humanity, shining a light on biotech’s impact on every aspect of our lives—and waking up every morning thinking about what news and insights you need to continue to bring that innovation to patients and the planet.  

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The next steps: Good Day BIO will transition from the current format on July 12, 2024. But don’t worry—we’ll continue to bring you news and information each week while we analyze reader feedback and analytics and develop a revamped strategy to best serve the industry.

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Boehringer Ingelheim decarbonizes research and production facility

Boehringer Ingelheim inaugurated a biomass power plant yesterday that will reduce carbon emissions from its research and manufacturing, advancing its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.

The facility produces 95% of the energy requirements for the BIO member’s main research site in Ingelheim, Germany, where they also do production. Using locally sourced wood waste, the facility cuts emissions 70%, saving 50,000 tons of CO2 per year.

Why it matters: With the healthcare sector responsible for 5% of global carbon emissions, pharmaceutical companies are doing their part to move toward carbon neutrality.

Other BIO members are doing their part, too. Just a few examples:

• Novartis: The environmental sustainability strategy envisions carbon neutrality by 2040, with consolidated shipping to avoid an average of 18,000 shipments per year, saving approximately 1,400 tons of CO2 annually.
• Organon: Seeking to decrease greenhouse gas emissions 25% by next year, the company is considering low-temperature production. They’ve also reformulated production to reduce solvent use 70% and use fewer hazardous chemicals and heavy metals.
• Sanofi: Advancing its “Road to Net Zero” by constructing nearly carbon-neutral vaccine manufacturing sites in France and Singapore.

What they’re saying: "Part of our sustainability goals is to protect natural resources so that our earth remains a place worth living in for people and animals,” says Michael Schmelmer, Boehringer Ingelheim Board Vice Chair. “With an environmentally friendly and more independent energy supply, we are ensuring stable production in order to be able to deliver medications for patients worldwide."

Climate change increasing threat from lone star tick

The lone star tick’s range is expanding, creating new challenges requiring One Health solutions.

What’s happening: Hotter weather and a booming deer population are enabling the spread of lone star ticks as far north as Ottawa County, Michigan, and other parts of the Midwest and Northeast.

Why it matters: Lone star tick bites, more common in the summer, can cause alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a potentially life-threatening allergy to red meat and dairy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC estimated that up to 450,000 people may have been affected by AGS between 2010-2022.

That’s not all: These ticks can also carry ehrlichiosis, a bacterial infection that can require hospitalization and increased eight-fold from 2000-2020, infecting a record 2,000 people in 2019, as well as tularemia, Heartland virus, Bourbon virus, and Southern tick-associated rash illness.

Biotech is working to control ticks—including through gene editing to stop ticks from carrying disease.

But addressing the climate is key. Biotech has a role here, too, by decarbonizing air travel with sustainable aviation fuel, reducing carbon emissions in agriculture and manufacturing, and capturing more carbon.

President Biden’s Tuesday: Hosting NATO leaders for a 75th anniversary celebration of the alliance that’s overshadowed by pollical concerns, according to The Washington Post.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina M. Khan will testify during a House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing on the FTC 2025 budget.