Upstream Processing

ZMapp is produced with tobacco-plant based mAbs. (Picture: Kevin Bercaw)

CMO Kentucky Bioprocessing grows Ebola mAb from tobacco

By Fiona BARRY

ZMapp, the experimental Ebola therapy given to a handful of infected patients in West Africa, is being produced in tobacco plants for Mapp Biopharmaceutical by CMO Kentucky Bioprocessing in collaboration with drugmaker Defyrus.

NIST project works to standardize ID of CHO, rat cell lines

NIST project works to standardize identification of CHO, rat cell lines

By Zachary Brennan

Though mostly known for its work in measurements, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s work is expanding in biomanufacturing and specifically looking to standardize the identification of CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) and rat cell lines as...

Rodent droppings can introduce viruses into raw materials warehouses

SAFC to make virus-resistant cell lines

By Fiona Barry

BioReliance and its parent company SAFC say they are working on viral-resistant cell lines that will prevent contamination in bioreactors.

Demand for pre-prepared media drives Cherwell expansion

Demand for pre-prepared media drives Cherwell expansion

By Dan Stanton

Increased regulatory expectation in the environmental monitoring of microbiological media has driven demand for prepared solutions, says Cherwell Laboratories as it completes a facility expansion.

SAFC expands continuous flow capacity in Wisconsin

SAFC expands continuous flow capacity in Wisconsin

By Zachary Brennan

SAFC, the custom manufacturing services business of Sigma-Aldrich, has installed a new commercial-scale continuous flow reactor at its Sheboygan, Wisconsin, facility with capacity to produce up to 150 kg of product per day. 

Researchers look to unveil why mAbs can be difficult to administer

Researchers look to unveil why mAbs can be difficult to administer

By Zachary Brennan

Potentially valuable monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) may find difficulties with administration due to high viscosity, though researchers are now turning to neutron spin echo instruments to gain a better understanding of what is occurring, according to new...

CMC to manufacture cancer mAb for MacroGenics

CMC to manufacture cancer mAb for MacroGenics

By Fiona BARRY

CMC Biologics, a contract manufacturing organization (CMO), has been picked by biopharmaceutical company MacroGenics to make its oncology candidate as "an extension of their own technical team."

Sartorius: QbD for single-use systems could help assure quality

Dispatches from the Biological Production Forum, Dublin

Sartorius: QbD for single-use systems could help assure quality

By Dan Stanton

Though industry has fully embraced single-use, manufacturers of such systems need to remove the risk of extractables and leachables and control the supply process according to Sartorius.

EMD Millipore expands upstream offerings in North America

EMD Millipore expands upstream offerings in North America

By Zachary Brennan

EMD Millipore’s Massachusetts facilities will now offer upstream capabilities including media and feed screening, small-scale material production, and optimization of conditions for scale-up and technology transfer. 

Bristol Myers-Squibb, Samsung extend biologics manufacturing agreement

B-MS, Samsung extend biologics manufacturing agreement

By Zachary Brennan

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Samsung Biologics have expanded their existing agreement in which Samsung will manufacture several unnamed biologics at its Incheon, South Korea manufacturing site. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.