SBI hoping to kickstart digital bioprocessing revolution through aquila buy

Scientific Bioprocessing (SBI) says it is aiming to create a digital platform to enhance biopharmaceutical workflow through the acquisition of smart sensor and data analytics firm aquila biolabs.

Life sciences tool supplier Scientific Industries, through its subsidiary SBI, has acquired aquila biolabs, adding smart sensors and data analytics software for bioprocessing along with facilities in Baesweiler, Germany.

“From the earliest interactions with the aquila biolabs team, it became really apparent that we shared the vision of developing technologies that can enable digitally simplified bioprocessing,” Sandy Williams, product and marketing manager at SBI, told BioProcess Insider.

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SBI itself offers numerous sensing platforms for biomanufacturing clients and is developing real-time sensors for measuring critical product quality attributes such as therapeutic potency sensing and other functional properties.

However, Williams said, “none of these digital sensing technologies can help propel bioprocessing forward without the simplification that actionable insights can provide. That’s where the aquila biolabs’ state-of-the-art data analytics platform can play a key role in taking the guesswork out of bioprocessing and simplifying workflows.”

The integration of aquila’s tech with SBI’s will allow the firm to create a digital platform aimed at enhancing accuracy in and throughput to the biopharmaceutical workflow, and drive its ambition in the bioprocess space.

“There are still so many black boxes and unknowns in cell culture and bioprocessing. Our goal is to illuminate these black boxes and give cells a voice that can be heard by scientists and engineers in the industry so we can help bring high-quality and well-characterized therapies to patients faster,” Williams said.

“Our ambition of digitally simplifying bioprocessing and revolutionizing cell culture transcends early-stage lab research to biomanufacturing on the production floor. To get there, we have several strategic imperatives that we are focusing on: expanding our sensing platform, instrumented vessels with smart sensors for real-time monitoring and control, precise environmental control, and AI-powered data analytics that can provide actionable insights and predictive tools. The integration of aquila biolabs is SBI’s first major step in making this vision a reality.”