Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Commissions New Cell Banking Facility at Billingham, UK Site

Billingham, UK/Morrisville, NC, USA, April 22, 2013 / B3C newswire / -Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has announced that it has commissioned on time its new mammalian cGMP Cell Banking Facility (CBF) at its Billingham, UK site. The new CBF is available to the company’s customers either as part of a larger development and manufacturing programme, or as a stand-alone service. It forms the second stage of a major expansion of the company’s mammalian cell culture capabilities at the site, following installation last year of new process development and scale-up capabilities. The asset will support delivery of manufacturing programmes for both Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies’ Billingham UK, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA facilities.

The next stage of the company’s expansion will be the commissioning of a new cGMP manufacturing facility, also in Billingham, which is well under construction, and due on-line in early Q4 2013. This manufacturing facility, which will primarily utilise single-use technologies, has been designed with input from regulatory authorities and key customers, to offer high flexibility for meeting customers’ needs and setting new standards. It will initially offer 200L and 1000L single-use bioreactors, with 2000L bioreactors already planned for 2014.

Steve Bagshaw, Managing Director, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies UK, said “I am delighted that we have commissioned the Cell Bank Facility within a year of its commencement, and have already started work on our first customer programme. This is the next step in our strategy to grow our services in the CDMO field, becoming a world-class player across both microbial and mammalian cell culture platforms, offering a full life cycle support for our customers”. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies will be exhibiting at BIO, Chicago, 22-25 April, Booth #1467.

Image files:

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies’ cGMP Cell Banking Facility at its Billingham, UK site:

http://www.fujifilmdiosynth.com/images/FujifilmDB_CBF_1.jpg

http://www.fujifilmdiosynth.com/images/FujifilmDB_CBF_2.jpg

About Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies UK Limited is an industry leading biologics Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has extensive experience in the development and manufacturing of recombinant proteins, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, among other large molecules expressed in a wide array of microbial, mammalian, and insect systems. The company offers a comprehensive list of services from microbial and mammalian cell line development, including its proprietary pAVEway™ system, to process development, analytical development, clinical and commercial manufacturing. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies is also located in Research Triangle Park, NC, USA as FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies U.S.A., Inc. Both sites have been FDA-approved for the production of commercial biologic products.

About FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, brings continuous innovation and leading-edge products to a broad spectrum of industries, including electronic imaging, digital printing equipment, medical systems, life sciences, graphic arts, flat panel display materials, and office products, based on a vast portfolio of digital, optical, fine chemical and thin film coating technologies. The company was among the top 17 companies around the world granted U.S. patents in 2011, and in the year ended March 31, 2012, had global revenues of $27.8 billion*. Fujifilm is committed to environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship.

* At an exchange rate of 79 yen to the dollar.

Contact:

Bridget Hall, Communications Manager

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies

Tel : +44 (0)1642 367320

Cell: +44 (0)7796 938929

Email : bridget.hall@fujifilmdb.com

BIO : Booth # 1467

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