Tech roundup: Highlighting new platforms and products

During the past few weeks, a number of biopharmaceutical vendors and contract development manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) have announced new technologies that are designed to streamline manufacturing and present new solutions to developers and manufacturers seeking efficient operational solutions. In this round up, we will look at a few such products and technologies that caught our eye.

Samsung Biologics

At BioProcess International 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts last month, CDMO Samsung Biologics announced its S-AfuCHO and S-OptiCharge platforms, which the company says are designed to support drug development by derisking the manufacturing process.

S-AfuCHO is a cell-line platform designed to generate afucosylated antibodies that exhibit enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxity (ADCC) activity. S-OptiCharge is an upstream-process platform that can modulate a molecule’s charge variant distribution.

“Our new platforms are expected to provide clients with high-performing solutions for their molecules to reduce risks and support successful development,” said Jahoon Kang, vice president of CDO at Samsung Biologics. “We will continue to develop innovative solutions to proactively address the evolving needs of our clients and meet increased demand for complex and high-concentration biopharmaceuticals.”

Fujifilm Irvine Scientific

Also last month, Fujifilm Irvine Scientific announced the development of its Oceo Rover single-use technology system. It is designed to help biopharmaceutical manufacturers improve their workflows by automating and simplifying media, feed, and buffer hydration. The platform provides an automated hydration system that combines hydration cartridges with a programmable skid.

“We saw a need in the market to improve the process of hydrating powdered media and buffers. Oceo Rover addresses this need by simplifying the hydration process and delivering the consistency that manufacturers need, while also saving time and costs associated with bioprocessing,” said Yutaka Yamaguchi, chairman and chief executive officer at Fujifilm Irvine Scientific.

CS Genetics

Genomics technology company CS Genetics announced a partnership with the cloud-based Rosalind software as a service (SaaS) platform. Rosalind provides multi-omics analysis, working in conjunction with CS Genetics’ SimpleCell platform to help researchers expand their single-cell capabilities.

"At CS Genetics, we've developed the SimpleCell platform to redefine the economics of single-cell genomics, removing the need for expensive instruments and slashing per-sample costs," said Jay Harger, COO of CS Genetics. "By partnering with Rosalind, we're enabling biopharma and academic teams to run much larger, more rigorous single-cell projects while accessing best-in-class analysis and collaboration tools."

Cambrex

CDMO Cambrex announced that its subsidiary company Snapdragon Chemistry has developed a liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS) technology that uses active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) batch reactors and continuous flow, eliminating dependency on solid-phase reactors. The new LPPS technology is designed to reduce solvent demand when compared with standard solid-state peptide synthesis processes.

"Over the past several years, we have made significant investments in the research and development of complex synthetics, specifically to reduce the economic and environmental impacts of manufacturing peptides and oligonucleotides," said Matt Bio, COO of Cambrex. "Our new LPPS technology provides a significantly more cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable solution when compared to traditional solid-phase peptide synthesis.”

Promega

Promega announced its GloMax Galaxy Bioluminescence Imager, which is a benchtop instrument designed to aid scientists in visualizing protein dynamics. The technology uses specialized light-emitting molecules to capture real-time images and eliminate the need for complex fluorescence techniques, thus streamlining the research of low-expression proteins.

“Researchers are no longer required to translate their assay biology into a fluorescent reporter system to enable imaging,” said Kristin Riching, senior research scientist at Promega. “They can use the same NanoLuc-based technologies that they’ve been using in plate-based assay readouts.”