Sartorius Stedim and GE Healthcare Cross-License Biomanufacturing IP

Sartorius Stedim Biotech and GE Healthcare Life Sciences signed a patent cross-licensing agreement relating to noninvasive sensing and automated asceptic solution transfer technologies applied in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Under terms of the deal GE Healthcare obtains a sublicense to specific patents licensed to Sartorius Stedim by Fluorometrix, a spin-out from the University of Maryland, which holds the IP. The patent rights cover bioreactors with at least two optical sensors for use in monitoring biotechnological manufacturing processes.

In return, Sartorius Stedim gets a sublicense to patent rights licensed to GE Healthcare by SciLog. Sartorius' rights cover the field of automated, aseptic transfer of solutions in bioprocessing applications.

GE Healthcare says that in the short term the agreement will allow it to exploit specific technologies for the control of single-use devices. “Furthermore our customers will profit from the freedom to employ these proprietary control mechanisms without violating patent rights when sourced from either GE Healthcare Life Sciences or Sartorius Stedim Biotech,” comments Catarina Flybor, GM for bioprocess products at GE Healthcare Life Sciences.

The agreement will in addition spearhead the development of new biomanufacturing technologies, adds Reinhardt Vogt, evp of marketing, sales, and services at Sartorius Stedim. “The agreement will enable both our companies to provide a greater selection of products as well as accelerate the development of new and innovative technologies for applications in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry.”