DSM Opens Australian Government Backed Biologics Facility

23-Apr-2013 - Last updated on 24-Apr-2013 at 10:23 GMT

Related tags Dsm biologics Australia Netherlands

With backing from the Australian Government, DSM has opened a mammalian cell culture operation to fuel the growing demand in the Asia-Pacific biologics market.

Three years after DSM Biologics – the biomanufacturing wing of Royal DSM – announced it was collaborating with the Australian Government to create the country’s first biotech contract manufacturing facility, the company has announced operations at the 70,000 sq ft plant in Brisbane will commence this June.

Speaking to Outsourcing-Pharma.com, DSM Biologics’ President Karen king said though “Australia has a vibrant and growing biotech industry with great innovation,” there was “no local manufacturing option” until DSM struck this deal.

It had been estimated that up to A$60m ($56m) of business was being outsourced overseas each year and as a remedy to the situation the Government, according to King, engaged “in many activities to incentivize the development of the biotechnology sector in Australia including an attractive R&D tax rebate program.”

One of these incentives led to the funding of the mammalian cell culture facility to which DSM provided only its expertise – the company has been operating for over 25 years from its site in Groningen , The Netherlands – but no capital.

King said: “We are pleased to be in a position to serve this substantial industry segment.” She continued, adding that the site was also an important base for the company to offer its services in the region, as “DSM Biologics believes the Asia-Pacific region will continue to grow in importance in the Biologics space.”

From the facility in Eastern Australia, DSM will offer its clients services from process development through to cGMP manufacturing at pre-clinical, clinical and commercial stages, including its proprietary XD and Rhobust technologies which has an estimated output capacity of 500kg of product per year.

Growth of Mammalian Biologics

With the completion of this facility, DSM has become the latest company in a trend of CMOs investing and opening biologics capabilities.

Cytovance increased its mammalian services in the last few days, and Fujifilm Diosynth has opened a cell banking facility in the UK. Furthermore, Fujifilm told this publication that the mammalian side of the industry was on the up and now accounts for about two thirds to one third microbial in third party biologics manufacturing.

This increased growth has also reached DSM. According to King, “DSM Biologics’ client book has continued to grow significantly” and “consists of companies from around the globe and of all sizes and scopes.”