Dagmar Schwertner looks at the work of the BioGenes Gesellschaft für Biopolymere mbH, which was founded in 1992 by two scientists Dr Alexander Knoll and Dr Sergej Ovodov. The company specialises in the development and production of customised immunoassays, antigens and antibodies for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry.
A provider of customised services and producer of antigens and antibodies, BioGenes also carries out peptide synthesis, conjugation of peptides and haptens to carrier proteins, the production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, respectively, against customer's antigens, purification, fragmentation and labelling of immunoglobulins, and development of immunoassays especially for determination of haptens.
The company specialises in the development and production of customised immunoassays, antigens and antibodies as services for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry.
"The guarantee for these services, the appreciated customised service, and the comprehensive consultation contribute to the present success of BioGenes,“ the company maintains.
Diagnostic companies
The team -15 specialists are mostly highly qualified biochemists, chemists and biologists. The partners are German and international pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, research institutes, universities and clinics.
Back in May 2000, BioGenes GmbH was certified according to the guideline of DIN EN ISO 9001 and 46001 by the DQS, Germany.
In future BioGenes, as a specialist for outsourcing, will concentrate on the acceptance of complete research and developments projects and large scale production processes.
The appropriate preconditions have been established by extending and modernising laboratories, and widening the capacity for development of customised monoclonal antibodies.
Additionally, the team working in the area of antibody and assay development, and in international marketing, has been reinforced - and is still growing.
Finally, the marketing activity has been intensified across Europe. And, moreover, the first talks with US-American partners have taken place.
Financing partner
The financing partners for the investment concerning the expansion are the GUB Unternehmensbeteiligungen AG, Schwäbisch Hall, and the Technologiebeteiligungsgesellschaft (TBG), Berlin, bringing in one million DM each.
Small businesses in biotechnology, such as BioGenes, operate in a cramped market segment, perfecting and enlarging its certified knowledge and competence. This makes such businesses unique specialists in its segment, and therefore particularly competitive.
Offering the pharmaceutical industry extensive projects in research and development with the motto From DNA to Production BioGenes has worked with several companies to building a biotech network named SCITRIX and to establish consistent project management.
A close co-operation partner is Alpha BVT GmbH, supplementing the services of BioGenes, in producing recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies in large scale. In future, additional partners will be integrated for DNA-works, DNA-immunisation and peptide synthesis.
Humanisation of antibodies
A co-operation for humanisation of antibodies for therapy is in development. In future, products such as self-developments will be brought out into the market.
Production of therapeutic proteins and antibodies under GMP-conditions (FDA-approved) will be possible in 2001.
ENQUIRY No 58
Dagmar Schwertner is with BioGenes GmbH, Berlin, Germany. www.biogenes.de
