In particular, the expansion will support new projects within Lonza’s existing manufacturing assets, flanking the mid-scale microbial capacity added in August.  As microbial expression systems demand complex manufacturing processes, the CDMO said the expanded development services will strengthen upstream, downstream and process analytics support for such projects. 

Additionally, Lonza sees the new development capacity as consolidating the alpine site’s microbial footprint while new high-throughput equipment and automation processes drive efficiency and project delivery. The upgrade will include three liquid-handling workstations and other equipment dedicated to upstream and downstream process development, as well analytical method development. 

At Visp, Lonza also plans to add a dedicated pilot suite with a 50-liter fermenter and corresponding downstream equipment capable of generating non-GMP product suitable for formulation and toxicology studies. This facility is designed to enhance the company’s internal technology transfer strategy and capability by providing a representative primary recovery scale. The additional lab space is to be aligned with available manufacturing capacity and support the new mid-scale assets due to be in operation from 2022.

Shiva Khalafpour, head of Lonza’s Microbial Business unit, said the CDMO’s microbial-derived pipeline is “growing at a healthy rate,” driven by an increase in alternatives to antibodies such as nanobodies, designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) and single-chain antibodies. For some of these molecules, she said, microbial systems show better productivities, and this is strengthening the trend to outsourcing. Khalafpour said expanding its development labs will enable Lonza to support new customers with development and manufacture of these molecules and other recombinant proteins for both clinical and commercial projects.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist