ATMI Buys Partner Artelis to Acquire Disposable Bioreactor Platform and Expertise

Semiconductor materials and products firm ATMI has acquired Belgian biotech Artelis, which specializes in the development of bioprocesses and technologies for cell culture research and manufacturing scale-up. ATMI says the acquisition will add complementary biopharmaceutical process expertise to its existing capabilities.

ATMI was an early investor in Artelis and has been partnering with the firm since 2006 on the development of disposable technologies for life science research and manufacturing. “Artelis represents a compelling strategic fit for us and expands ATMI’s commitment to the life sciences  market,” comments Mario Phiips, svp and general manager at ATMI LifeSciences. “While they’re still at an early stage from a commercial ramp standpoint, their close collaboration with customers and world-class results in cell-line development and cell culture technology allow us to provide the biopharmaceutical sector with the industry’s most comprehensive single-use solutions and technical support.”

Artelis specializes in the development of disposable systems for cell culture. The firm’s flagship product is the iCELLis™ 1000 bioreactor for protein and virus production, launched in 2010. Developed as a high cell-density, disposable cell culture platform, the iCELLis system achieves and maintains high cell densities on macrocarriers, providing 1,000 sq/m of cell-friendly growth support in a compact fixed-bed system, Artelis claims. The firm maintains the high-cell densities maintained by the bioreactor system effectively provides a 20- to 100-fold increase in volumetric productivity in comparison with conventional stirred tanks. As a result, the system allows the production of Phase III clinical batches in laboratory-style facilities, and can be used for both suspended and adherent cells with the same implementation method.

ATMI’s business is divided into its semiconductor and life sciences operations. The latter segment, established as a collaboration with Artelis, specializes in the development of single-use bioprocess systems and consumables for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries, including single-use disposable storage systems, mixers and bioreactors.