Distribution deals to TAP into SE Asia bioprocessing sector
Working with distributors in key countries in South East Asia, such as China and Singapore, should help TAP profit from the upturn in local biologics production.
“South East Asia is a rapidly developing market for vaccine and biosimilar production and our automated bioprocessing and cell processing technology will help improve throughput in both these applications”, said Phillip Sefton, commercial director at TAP.
Distributors appointed by TAP include:
- Bio-Reach for Northern China
- Zil Sci Pte in Singapore
- Taiwan-based Aurora Biosciences
- GE Healthcare Japan
Each of these distributors will market and support the TAP portfolio. As part of this effort, TAP and its distributors are holding seminars focused on the advanced micro bioreactor system (ambr) in China, Korea and Singapore in August. TAP is also looking to add distributors in Thailand and Malaysia.
EU pharma strikes ambr deal
Last month TAP received a boost when a ‘major European pharma’ installed ambr to improve cell line development of antibody therapeutics. The 48 bioreactor version of the system will help the company predict how antibody expressing cell lines will work when scaled-up to large bioreactors.
Each of the 48 bioreactors, which have working volumes of 10 to 15ml, can look at a different combination of cell line and culture conditions. Results from each vessel are then used to predict how the combination will behave when scaled-up.
“Progressive pharma companies in [Europe] recognise that our ambr technology can provide a substantial competitive advantage in reducing time to trial”, said Ralph von Strandmann, European sales manager at TAP.
