CDMO Fujifilm Biotechnologies unveiled its ShunzymeX precision purification technology, which is aimed at simplifying downstream processing for complex biologics. The technology will be presented this week at the Festival of Biologics conference in San Diego.
Fujifilm Biotechnologies, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, developed ShunzymeX, a proprietary technology that leverages a novel protease to enable purification of complex biologics with a simplified process, according to the company. This technology enables the addition of an affinity tag to the protein, allowing the biologic protein to be purified with an off-the-shelf affinity resin. After purification, the novel protease cleaves off the tag without leaving a scar on the native protein.
ShunzymeX addresses some of the inherent challenges in traditional microbial downstream purification due to the diversity of microbial-expressed proteins, including variability in size and sequence, leading to a lack of suitable affinity resins, says John Stewart, senior vice president of global process development, Fujifilm Biotechnologies.
In the absence of a robust affinity chromatography step, he continues, traditional downstream approaches can result in long development times, low yield, and low purity. By streamlining purification, ShunzymeX can reduce process development timelines, maintains Stewart, adding that the technology is suitable with various expression systems, and scalable direct to cGMP.
“Together, we believe this innovation will help create a faster path for our customers to commercialization,” he says.
ShunzymeX can be paired with SymphonXTM, Fujifilm’s automated and customizable technology featuring an all-in-one equipment design to run all downstream unit operation, points out Kenneth Holbourn, senior director, technical project leader group.
The new purification technology will be presented in a session titled, “Accelerating and Streamlining Microbial Process Development with a Novel Technology,” by Holbourn on March 4, 2026, at 2:50pm PT in Theater 5 at the Festival of Biologics.