Bionova Scientific targets advanced therapies market, maintains core mAb business

Contract development and manufacturing organization Bionova Scientific is entering the advanced therapy manufacturing space by installing its third FlexFactory platform from Cytiva to meet rising demand for genomic medicines.

Cytiva made the announcement which also noted that its Fast Trak process development services will accelerate Bionova’s production processes and hasten their molecule through clinical development. The FlexFactory platform for advanced therapies offers substantial benefits that reduce business risks, increase operational speed, faster product ramp-up, and enhance flexibility, according to Cytiva.

The new FlexFactory is slated for delivery in the third quarter of 2025 to Bionova’s new facility in The Woodlands, Texas, which had its grand opening on May 29 and is designed to produce critical starting material for cell and gene therapies, as well as DNA/RNA-based and recombinant protein therapeutics.

“Using Cytiva’s end-to-end solutions, we’ll have an exceptional platform to support the manufacture of genomic medicines,” Fabio Fonseca, senior director of pDNA process development at Bionova, said in a statement. “Together with our team and technology stack, we are well positioned to deliver plasmid DNA with speed, quality and patient safety.”

While Bionova is entering the advanced therapy manufacturing space, Cytiva’s announcement said that the CDMO is maintaining its core monoclonal antibody (mAb) business. In 2022, Asahi Kasei Group bought Bionova — with a history of making next-generation antibody drugs — in a bid to add the contract manufacturer’s services to its extensive bioprocess business.

Earlier this month, Cytiva announced that several of its own capital expenditure projects have been completed — while others are on track — to expand the life sciences company’s capacity and enhance its global supply chain through an “in-region, for-region” manufacturing strategy.

Part of a $1.6 billion investment since 2019, Cytiva’s expansion projects are slated to continue through 2028 and are in alignment with its long-term growth plan to meet increased customer demand.