Liquid Chromatography
Company Announcements
Separations technology provider Biotage announced in December 2018 that it will not exercise its current call option to acquire Chreto, which is developing membrane cartridge-based affinity purification technology. Biotage currently owns 22% of Chreto (see IBO 8/31/16). At the time of its initial investment, Biotage gained the option to acquire the remainder of the company for SEK 141.2 million ($17.0 million). Biotage now plans to renegotiate with other Chreto shareholders for a different price.
In February, agarose product supplier Bio-Works announced that it increased its customer base by 125% last year to 236. The highest number of customers, 40, are working with scale-up.
Prometic Life Sciences, which provides bioseparation technology, engaged Lazard in February to review and execute key strategic transactions focused on maximizing shareholder value. These transactions could include, among other things, the out-licensing of drug candidates and monetization of non-core assets.
Repligen’s 2018 revenues grew 37.4% to $194.0 million (see IBO 2/28/19), including organic revenue growth of 17%. Direct product sales grew 72%. Chromatography, filtration, protein and other products accounted for 23%, 47%, 28% and 2%, with sales rising 24.8%, 84.7%, 1% and 104.7%, respectively. The company forecasts 2019 revenues to increase 12%–16% to $218–$225 million, with organic growth of 13%–17%.
In March, Sartorius Stedim Biotech (SSB) and Novasep, which has expertise in resin-based batch and continuous chromatography systems, entered into a collaboration agreement in the area of membrane chromatography and single-use bioprocessing. Novasep’s established BioSC platform and SSB single-use technology will form the basis for the codevelopment of innovative chromatography systems.
Product Introductions
In January, Shimadzu introduced the Nexera Prep Series Preparative Purification LC. The Nexera Prep Series reduces the time spent on examining conditions by using the software’s simulation function. Systems can be configured using related products such as the LH‒40 Liquid Handler, FRC‒40 Fraction Collector, Shim-pack Scepter LC Column for Analysis and Preparative Work, and Column Hub.
In January, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments released its new Hemp Analyzer. The HPLC system is a complete turnkey analyzer for quantitative determination of cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinoid content. The high-throughput method is designed for analysis of CBD and 9 other commonly requested cannabinoids in under 8 minutes.
In February, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments released the new PPSQ‒51A single reactor and PPSQ‒53A triple reactor gradient system protein sequencers for the analysis of N‒terminal amino acid sequences through automated Edman degradation.
In February, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments released the new Shimpack Arata LC columns for high pH compounds. They are currently available in 2.2 μm particles with 5 μm particle columns to be released in the future.
Waters launched in January the BioResolve SCX mAb columns and Vanguard FIT Cartridge technology, together with a suite of complementary consumables, enabling mAb charge variant analyses. The base material consists of 2 μm nonporous particles. The Vanguard Fully Integrated Technology (FIT) Cartridge prevents particulates and other contaminants from being carried onto the column.
PharmaFluidics introduced in February a μPAC trapping column, compatible with their line of analytical micro-chip columns.
BUCHI Labortechnik launched in February the new Pure flash and prep chromatography systems. The closed fraction collector bay enables use of the system outside of a fume hood. It features integrated UV and ELS detection, and flash and prep HPLC capabilities in one system.
In February, Tosoh Bioscience released the TSKgel FcR-IIIA-NPR column, calling it the first FcγR affinity chromatography analysis column. TSKgel FcR-IIIA-NPR uses the human Fcy receptor IIIa as a ligand.
Axcend announced in February that its Axcend shoe box-sized LC is now shipping. It features 150 μm internal diameter fused silica capillary columns and single or dual on-column UV-absorption detectors, with pressure up to 6,000 psi. The price begins at $35,000 and includes 1 standard AFLC cartridge.
Sales and Orders of Note
In February, Novasep announced Enzene Biosciences (India) chose its BioSC Pilot for purification of biopharmaceuticals at its Pune plant.