The companies intend to streamline cell line development workflows for monoclonal antibody (mAb) and complex therapeutic protein manufacturing.
Headquartered in Monthey, Switzerland, and formed as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ExcellGene works with industry players focused on vaccines, diagnostics, and drug development; it provides recombinant proteins, high-yielding CHO and HEK-293 cell-based manufacturing services.
Cell line development
As part of the alliance, that contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) is giving Cytena access to its CHOExpress system, which it said is a proven, high-yield mammalian host cell line for large-scale manufacturing of therapeutic proteins.
Cytena will establish workflows on its new, next generation automated workstation for cell line development (CLD), called C. Station, which is designed to reduce timelines, eliminate contamination, and improve cell viability.
Dr Julian Riba, CEO of Cytena, said the tie-up would allow the company to establish more efficient protocols for stable CHO cell line development (CLD) on its new platform, with the idea of making the production of biotherapeutic proteins “faster, safer, and more affordable.”
Professor Florian Wurm, CSO and cofounder of ExcellGene, said: “Having worked with several Cytena cell handling tools from the earliest days of their offerings, we were pleased to see innovative and well thought-through instrumentation, including a flow of innovative concepts aiming at addressing a major bottleneck in the development of biologics using cultivated animal cells: the proof of monoclonality."
He said the collaborative effort with Cytena would solidify the CDMO’s lead in science-based cell line and process development for pharma customers.
