Sartorius Stedim Biotech Partners With SAFC Biosciences

Sartorius Stedim Biotech (SSB) and SAFC Biosciences have signed a global partnership agreement. It combines Sartorius Stedim Biotech’s expertise in filtration and liquid handling systems, with SAFC Biosciences’ proficiency in development and manufacturing of cell culture media and downstream purification products. The alliance is expected to provide more robust and comprehensive solutions to biopharmaceutical manufacturers.

The companies would combine their expertise in generating application data on filter and mixing performance, with critical purification buffers and cell culture media. Similarly, extractable and leachable data will be generated with buffers and media, and filters and biobag combinations. In addition, SAFC expects to utilize SSB technology for storage and mixing of cell culture media, to optimize its fluid/powder handling systems.

Under the terms of the agreement, each company would offer its products with the assistance and support of its partner. They would work together to serve customers in solution creation, validation support, process improvement, technical support and problem solving.

Reinhard Vogt, executive vice president and board member of Sartorius Stedim Biotech, said: “This additional capability is instrumental for offering fully integrated cell culture media storage and mixing solutions. For customers, this partnership will yield a powerful combination of fluid management and liquid/powder systems and help them to enhance the efficiency of their cell culture processes. With this agreement, we are moving one step closer to the reality of a “totally disposable factory” with integrated technologies and control systems.”

Archie Cullen, vice president of Global Sales at SAFC, said: “Sartorius Stedim Biotech offers SAFC Biosciences the opportunity to partner with a market leader in process and single-use technologies development, and will enable us to provide integrated, single-use systems to the global biopharmaceutical cell culture community. This agreement enhances our position as the cell culture partner with the widest range of highly customized products and services. It further demonstrates that our customer intimacy approach helps us lead as the biopharmaceutical industry’s responsive expert.”