Fujifilm invests in Austrian biotech to advance ADC manufacturing
Fujifilm Corporation announced an investment in Valanx Biotech aimed at strengthening its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) capabilities in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing.
Valanx, based in Vienna, Austria, has developed GoldenSite technology which enables site-specific conjugation by incorporating synthetic amino acids into antibodies. According to the announcement, the approach allows more precise control over conjugation sites and drug-to-antibody ratios, which can improve ADC uniformity and stability.
Fujifilm said the investment was made through its corporate venture capital activities in life sciences and is intended to support collaboration on advanced ADC manufacturing technologies. The company is positioning ADCs as a key modality within its CDMO strategy and is building integrated capabilities spanning antibodies, linkers and payloads, as well as conjugation and formulation.
As part of that effort, Fujifilm said its subsidiary Fujifilm Toyama Chemical plans to begin offering integrated ADC manufacturing services in Japan in 2027. Meanwhile, Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation is developing capabilities to manufacture linkers and payloads used in ADC production.
The investment follows other technology initiatives across Fujifilm’s biologics business. Earlier this month, Fujifilm Biotechnologies introduced the ShunzymeX microbial purification platform, which uses a proprietary protease and affinity tagging approach designed to simplify downstream purification of complex biologics.
Last month, Fujifilm Biotechnologies held the grand opening of its expanded site in Teesside, UK, which the company contends is Britian’s largest single-use biopharma CDMO facility. The 110,000 square-foot manufacturing plant, which will be operational in the first half of 2026, includes 2,000L and 5,000L single-use bioreactors — with a total capacity up to 19,000L — to provide small- and mid-scale antibody production.