Bio-Works launches WorkBeads affimAb for purification of tomorrow’s biological pharmaceuticals

Bio-Works today announces the launch of WorkBeads affimAb for purification of new biological pharmaceuticals on a large scale. As for all Bio-Works’ products, focus is on improved production efficiency. We aim to capture the target molecule (the pharmaceutical product) in the shortest possible time and to achieve a purification process that is as efficient as possible. WorkBeads affimAb has unique features that provide great value for our customers.

Almost half of today’s biological pharmaceuticals are monoclonal antibodies. They are purified in a process including several steps, one of which is to use chromatography media where Protein A is coupled to the resin in order to to capture the monoclonal antibody. Many new biological pharmaceuticals are under development and new biosimilars (biological copies of biopharmaceuticals) are being developed at a rapidly increasing pace. This happens all over the world, not least in Asia. This faster pace of development leads to an increased demand for Protein A-based media, from established and new producers of pharmaceutical products, with a focus on attractive pricing in relation to production efficiency.

The market for Protein A-based chromatography media is worth more than 4 billion SEK and is growing by more than 8 % per year. The market is dominated by one company and one product. The dynamics of the business are such that the pharmaceutical producers are actively looking for new suppliers as alternatives to the market leader.

WorkBeads affimAb is built on Bio-Works patented agarose technology. Our Korean partner Amicogen’s unique Protein A is coupled to our unique resin as base. Bio-Works has, in comparison with relevant competing products, higher dynamic binding capacity (so called DBC) at high flow rates and very high stability for the necessary cleaning between process cycles. Thus, WorkBeads affimAb is in many key production parameters superior to the market leader’s product in terms of amount of target molecule bound (ca. 30 % more at high flow rate), but also expected lifetime in the customer’s application.

Mats Johnson, Bio-Works CEO:

”We are very satisfied that we have in such a short time been able to combine our technology base with Amicogen’s variant of Protein A to create a fantastic product for which there is a large need in the market. This product opens an important new market segment for us. We see this as a first step in our collaboration with Amicogen. Bio-Works is planning to continue to develop new products based on both companies’ unique technology bases. We continue step-by-step to build the company according to our plan.”

For more information please visit Bio-Works’ homepage, www.bio-works.com, or contact Mats Johnson, CEO for Bio-Works, e-mail: [email protected], telephone: +46 70 516 53 37.

About Bio-Works

Bio-Works designs, develops, manufactures and supplies innovative leading edge agarose products for chromatographic separation of proteins, peptides and other biomolecules. The company is staffed by people with long experience in the biotech industry and particularly with protein separation media. Bio-Works’ agarose-based high performance products are used for purification in the life science research phase as well as the commercial production of biopharmaceuticals and diagnostic products in large scale. The products are sold globally through our own organization and via distributors. Bio-Works facilities are located in the Uppsala Business Park Uppsala, Sweden. Company processes and a Quality Management System follow the standards of ISO 9001:2008. The Bio-Works’ share is traded on Nasdaq First North in Stockholm. FNCA Sweden AB is the Certified Adviser.

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