The facility, which more than doubled R&D lab space to facilitate process transfer and development, also includes dedicated and separate microbial fermentation development, protein purification, analysis, and molecular biology laboratories.
Sekisui Diagnostics’ Enzyme business unveiled its new Bioprocess Innovation Center at its site near Maidstone, Kent, UK. The new R&D facility, costing $1.9 million, is part of a long-term investment strategy to grow its share of the microbial biopharma CDMO market, with future investment expected to focus on expanding its current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) manufacturing capabilities, starting with additional ISO 8 clean room capacity that was expected to come online by the end of 2019, according to company officials.
The Center includes 250m2 of laboratory space and 134m2 of office space, more than doubling its R&D laboratory space to facilitate process transfer and development.
Sekisui’s biopharma CDMO service offering, BioProduction by Sekisui, is focused on expression and purification from microbial fermentation. Building on over 40 years’ experience in this field, the group’s expertise lies in the production of enzymes, says Will Stockburn, Sekisui Diagnostics’ general manager, adding that its capabilities are also suitable for plasmids, antibody fragments, and other protein production.
“This investment represents our commitment to serve our customers with innovative process development solutions,” noted Stockburn. “Over many years we have built a technical competency in enzyme production process development. The new facility will enable our team to attract more customers as the biopharma CDMO market grows.”
