AGC Biologics Invests in New Viral Vector Suspension Capabilities at U.S. Cell & Gene Hub
May 17 2022 - 10:03PM
AGC Biologics Invests in New Viral Vector Suspension Capabilities
at U.S. Cell & Gene Hub
AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract
Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), today announced
it is adding viral vector suspension technology and capacity for
the development and manufacturing of gene therapies at its
commercial-grade campus in Longmont, Col., USA. These new
capabilities, which begin coming online in the third quarter of
2022, complement the campus’ adherent viral vector and cell therapy
offerings – enabling AGC Biologics to provide an in-depth variety
of end-to-end cell and gene therapy services at this site.
North America has historically been home to more advanced
therapy and regenerative medicine developers than any other region
worldwide. Further, the 2021 Q3 Cell & Gene Therapies Market
Outlook report from industry standard research (ISR) revealed viral
vectors are the most common thing a drug developer needs from a
CDMO. This expansion more than doubles the site’s viral vector
capacity, and helps AGC Biologics meet these market demands.
“This investment helps AGC Biologics address the needs of gene
therapy developers at our new central location in North America,”
said Patricio Massera, CEO of AGC Biologics. “When you combine
these new capabilities and the technical expertise at our Longmont
campus, with our Milan facility’s lentiviral vector platform and
its extensive gene therapy CDMO experience, we can now support
virtually any viral vector program being developed anywhere in the
world.”
The viral vector suspension expansion is a part of a more than
$30 million investment by AGC Biologics in its new Longmont campus.
The new suspension capabilities include a full complement of
bioreactor sizes for product development (AMBR, 10L and 50L), and a
complete range of commercial manufacturing capacities (50L, 200L,
500L and 2000L), enabling the site to provide support for the
entire lifecycle of a product.
“The suspension expansion helps us offer the most impactful,
efficient and scalable technologies for bringing viral vector-based
gene therapy products to market,” said Tony Fraij, General Manager,
AGC Biologics Longmont. “This latest investment helps us round out
the services we offer at this campus. Now, with a full suite of
capabilities and the extensive expertise of our scientists, we can
support virtually any type of viral vector or cell therapy
development and manufacturing project.”
AGC Biologics acquired the Longmont campus in August of 2021 and
quickly appointed Fraij, a 20-year veteran with experience leading
operations at several global life science organizations. The
company previously acquired a cell and gene therapy site in Milan,
Italy from MolMed S.p.A. in 2020. The AGC Biologics Milan
team’s technical expertise will play an important informative role
in launching the new viral vector capabilities in Longmont. In just
a few short years the company built a strong global cell and gene
therapy network of services, capabilities and scientists. AGC
Biologics is one of only a few CDMOs with end-to-end cell advanced
therapies on two continents.
To learn more about the companies viral vector services visit
www.agcbio.com/capabilities/viral-vector; visit
www.agcbio.com/capabilities/cell-therapy to learn more about AGC
Biologics’ cell therapy offerings.
About AGC Biologics
AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract
Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong
commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work
side-by-side with our clients and partners, every step of the way.
We provide world-class development and manufacture of mammalian and
microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger
RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our
global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with
cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder and
Longmont, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany;
Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan and we currently employ more than
2,000 employees worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation
fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients’ most complex
challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and
rare diseases. AGC Biologics is the partner of choice. To learn
more, visit www.agcbio.com.
- AGC Biologics Longmont Cell and Gene Therapy Campus
- AGC Biologics Longmont Cell and Gene Therapy Campus Aerial
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