Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services and Olon have formed a strategic partnership
Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma (Aji Bio-Pharma), a provider of biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing services, and Olon, specialists in the development and production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), have entered into a strategic partnership to deliver innovative, large-scale drug substance manufacturing services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients, utilising Aji Bio-Pharma’s microbial Corynex peptide and protein manufacturing platform and Olon’s large-scale microbial fermentation capabilities.
This collaboration combines Aji Bio-Pharma’s knowledge in microbial strain and process development with Olon’s large-scale GMP manufacturing expertise, using fermenters with a capacity of over 100,000 litres. The partnership will advance the production of high-demand proteins and peptides, such as GLP-1 analogues, which play a critical role in treating obesity and Type II diabetes.
Yasuyuki Otake, corporate executive and general manager of the Bio-Pharma Services Dept., Ajinomoto Co., Inc., said, “By joining forces, we can accelerate the development and supply of advanced peptides and proteins, supporting our customers and improving patient outcomes in a sustainable manner.”
Andrea Conforto, S&M – VP CDMO Biotech, Olon, said, “Together, we provide a seamless path from development to large-scale commercial manufacturing, setting new standards for quality and sustainability in the industry.”
In a joint statement on sustainability, Otake and Conforto said, “Sustainability is at the heart of our partnership. By combining environmentally friendly production with efficient and scalable large-scale fermentation, we aim to reduce the environmental footprint of biologics manufacturing to benefit our customers, the patients, and society as a whole.”
Corynex, based on the gram-positive bacterium C. glutamicum, can streamline the manufacturing process by secreting soluble, biologically active targets directly into the media at high titers and purity. It is scalable, fast-growing, non-endotoxic, non-pathogenic, non-sporulating, and does not require an expression inducer like IPTG or methanol.
Olon combines expertise in microbial fermentation for CDMO and proprietary products, including high-potent or toxic compounds, utilising high-containment systems. With fermenters spanning from 1-255m³ and a total capacity of 5,000m³, Olon is one of Europe’s largest third-party microbial fermentation producers.
