Within the past four months, AGC Asahi Glass – a subsidiary of industrial glass, ceramic and chemical maker the AGC Group – has bought two biologics contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs).
In September, the firm launched itself into the space through the acquisition of Heidelberg, Germany-based Biomeva, and weeks later signed an agreement to cement its stake in the industry through the ¥60bn ($516m) addition of Søborg, Denmark-headquartered CMC Biologics.
Spokeswoman Tomoko Komazaki told us that with Danish manufacturing capacity and US sites in Seattle and Berkeley, the CMC Biologics deal meant AGC has made “a full-fledged launch into not only microbial but also mammalian CMO businesses in US and European markets which are fast growing and account for the main part of biopharmaceuticals business in the world.”
“Life science business is one of AGC’s strategically focusing business areas to achieve further growth,” she told us. “CMO business is an important part of AGC’s life science business and we have decided to expand into this field.”
AGC had some biomanufacturing capacity in its network, including a 4,500L fermentor at a site in Chiba, Japan, but once the CMC deal is complete – expected later this month – the Tokyo-headquartered firm will boast 10,000L of microbial capacity and 34,000L of mammalian capacity.
24,000L of the mammalian capacity will be single-use bioreactors, Komazaki said, including three Thermo Fisher 2,000L systems recently added by CMC Biologics in Denmark.
Komazaki also added the company will take into consideration any opportunities further M&A acquisitions in order to grow further its contract biomanufacturing business in the future.