The field of biotechnology is progressing apace. In part, this is thanks to the impressive resources now available to firms operating in the industry. For example, it is easy for organisations to get their hands on top-quality laminar air flow solutions and other similar provisions.
One firm to be taking advantage of the developments is Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. It has now opened a new manufacturing facility in Billingham, Teesside. During a ceremony attended by the Duke of Gloucester, the company unveiled its new mammalian cell culture cGMP manufacturing centre.
The facility was commissioned and built in under 15 months and it is described by the organisation as the first of its kind in the UK. Designed with input from regulatory authorities and key customers, it is purpose-built to use primarily single-use technologies for both upstream and downstream operations.
Initially, it has been fitted with 200L and 1,000L bioreactors, with a 2,000L bioreactor already planned for 2014. According to Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, the facility will be able to undergo rapid expansion in order to meet customer demand.
The firm has certainly been busy. Its new plant in Britain is part of a series of investments in both the UK and the US at its Research Triangle Park. In total, the organisation has spent £30 million over the last two years. During this period, new cell line development and process development laboratories have been established at both sites. Furthermore, a single-use bioreactor was installed at the Research Triangle Park two years ago to supplement its 2,000L stainless steel train for the good manufacturing practice (GMP) production of mammalian cell culture biopharmaceuticals.
Commenting on the latest development at the firm’s Billingham facility, Steve Bagshaw, managing director of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies UK Limited, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to build and commission our new GMP mammalian cell culture manufacturing facility in such a short time frame.”
He went on to remark: “This new capacity, using the latest single-use technologies, provides our customers with a full life-cycle offering for mammalian cell culture biopharmaceuticals from our UK site, and complements our offering in microbial-based biologics. It reinforces Fujifilm’s commitment to lead the global Biologics CMO industry through continuous innovation and implementation of new technologies.”
Like many organisations operating in the sector, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies may well head online to stock up on laminar flow products and other solutions. Firms of any kind need to make sure that they buy suitably high-quality resources. However, this is especially important in the biotechnology sector.
Inferior products and systems can ruin entire projects. This is why it is well worth managers’ while to pay close attention to the standard of product they are offered. As long as they know where to look, firms should succeed in finding biohazard safety cabinet solutions and other products that meet their stringent requirements.
Putting in the necessary effort at the purchasing stage can save bosses a lot of stress and hassle, not to mention additional expense, further down the line.
About the Author – Anna Longdin is a freelance blogger who contributes regularly to a number of technical and engineering websites, including Contained Air Solutions.
