The nearly 50% production capacity increase is in response to growing global demand for purification media from the antibody drug manufacturing industry.

At a cost of approximately ¥5 billion, the Nanyo Complex’s Toyopearl production facilities are being expanded. Construction began in October 2016 and is slated for completion in August 2018. Commercial operations at the expanded production facilities are expected to commence in April 2019.

Liquid chromatography separation and purification media are used in the production of biopharmaceutical ingredients. Employing differences in charge, hydrophobicity, specific affinity, and molecular size, these media are designed to separate and purify target components. Given the rapid growth of the market for biopharmaceutical products, in Japan, the United States, and countries in Europe and in China, India, and other emerging nations, these media are in high demand. And Tosoh is committed to meeting that demand.

With its high strength, superior chemical stability, and high adsorption capacity, Toyopearl ranks among Tosoh’s bioscience operation’s leading products. It is well suited to the industrial-scale separation and purification processes used by pharmaceutical and other companies for target ingredients. Tosoh has seen particularly strong demand for Toyopearl’s antibody drug purification from the biopharmaceutical industry.

The company offers a complete lineup of screening and pre-packed Toyopearl columns for clinical diagnostics and an organization ready and able to meet each customer’s particular requirements. With the expansion of its Toyopearl production capacity, Tosoh will be better positioned to respond to vigorous demand in the market for separation and purification media. Tosoh plans further expansions of the scale and profitability of its business going forward.