EX-CELL(TM) CD CHO Fusion Media Formulation and CHO cGMP Media Library for Cell Culture Applications Now Available
ST. LOUIS, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SAFC Biosciences(R), a business segment within SAFC(R), a member of the Sigma-Aldrich Group , today announced that it has expanded its portfolio of products and services for use in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell line applications with the introduction of EX-CELL(TM) CD CHO Fusion, the Company's next generation chemically defined media formulation, and the CHO cGMP Media Library, an on-the-shelf, media screening library of diverse formulations (http://www.safcbiosciences.com).
EX-CELL CD CHO Fusion media has been specifically developed to work as a scaleable platform media formulation for those cell culture applications requiring a chemically defined animal-component free media option that can meet production requirements across multiple CHO cell lines. This new formulation provides a consistent starting point for such projects as it quickly adapts to the majority of CHO cell lines, providing a platform media option that can reduce timelines and costs typically related to media screening, development and optimization efforts for multiple CHO-based projects.
EX-CELL CD CHO Fusion was developed based on 20 years of CHO media research and development experience and component analysis innovation across legacy JRH Biosciences and Sigma-Aldrich sites, which today make up SAFC Biosciences. This solid track record of experience and technical innovation in this field enables SAFC Biosciences to offer serum-free media support for projects throughout the clinical pipeline - from pre-clinical molecule production to blockbuster therapeutic commercialization.
According to Mason Williams, SAFC Biosciences Product Manager, the Company is already seeing the early adoption of this new EX-CELL CD CHO Fusion formulation by some of the most significant companies in the Biopharmaceutical industry as a result of their participation in a beta-site testing program. "One early customer," says Williams, "has already requested larger quantities for projects in clinical process scale-up."
EX-CELL CD CHO Fusion is also featured in the new CHO cGMP Media Library, a robust collection that contains more than 20 cGMP media formulations for CHO cells that can be quickly accessed for media screening optimization projects.
Historical data shows that CHO clones have diverse nutritive requirements and that no single media formulation is optimized for every application. According to Archie Cullen, Vice President of Global Commercial and Technical Operations for SAFC Biosciences, "We have successfully developed a program that we believe efficiently allows clients to screen a robust offering of media formulations through the CHO Library to quickly identify the best starting point for every application, while also reducing concerns around scale-up by having the formulations already produced to cGMP. This capability demonstrates SAFC Biosciences' 'best fit' approach to providing solutions personalized to the specific requirements of our customers and their applications."
Cullen continued, "The next step in this approach is the launch of a Platform Chemically Defined Supplement that effectively removes the dependence on hydrolysates or other undefined components that have challenged production processes."
Further information on EX-CELL(TM) CD CHO Fusion and the CHO cGMP Media Library can be found at www.safcbiosciences.com.
About SAFC Biosciences: SAFC Biosciences is a leading provider of cell culture materials and development services for upstream and downstream processes in the biopharmaceutical industry. Providing an integrated services package in mammalian cell culture media development, along with analytical and regulatory support, SAFC Biosciences employs a wealth of industry experience and scientific know-how to deliver reliable, consistent solutions that accelerate customer success - from development through to commercialization. The unit has a 35-year history as a manufacturing partner providing leading biopharmaceutical companies with the broadest range of highly customized products and services possible.
About SAFC: SAFC(R) is the custom manufacturing and services group within Sigma-Aldrich that focuses on high-purity inorganics for high technology applications, cell culture products and services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, biochemical production and the manufacturing of complex, multi-step organic synthesis of APIs and key intermediates. SAFC has manufacturing facilities around the world dedicated to providing manufacturing services for companies requiring a reliable partner to produce their custom manufactured materials. SAFC has four focus areas - SAFC Pharma(TM), SAFC Supply Solutions(R), SAFC Biosciences(R), and SAFC Hitech(TM) - and had annual sales of $624 million in 2008. SAFC is one of the world's top 10 fine chemical companies. For more information about SAFC, visit www.safcglobal.com.
About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Its chemical and biochemical products and kits are used in scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostic and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 38 countries and has 7,900 employees providing excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich is committed to Accelerating Customer Success through Innovation and Leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award-winning Web site at http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.
Cautionary Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements relating to future performance, goals, strategic actions and initiatives and similar intentions and beliefs and other statements regarding the Company's expectations, goals, beliefs, intentions and the like, which involve assumptions regarding the Company's operations and conditions in the markets the Company serves. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
SAFC(R), SAFC Biosciences(R), SAFC Supply Solutions(R) and Sigma-Aldrich(R) are registered trademarks and SAFC Pharma(TM), and SAFC Hitech(TM) are trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich Biotechnology L.P. and Sigma-Aldrich Co.
CONTACT: Bruce Lehr, Director of Marketing of SAFC Biosciences,
+1-913-227-6790; or Mark Button of Impress Public Relations,
+1-408-310-2168, mark@impress-pr.com, for Sigma-Aldrich
Web site: http://www.sigma-aldrich.com/
http://www.safcbiosciences.com/
