Biotechnology Blog

Laupheim, Germany, Mai 21, 2008 - Rentschler Biotechnologie and Boehringer Ingelheim, both leading companies in biopharmaceutical development and production, have signed a preferred partnership agreement. The cooperation will enable Rentschler BiotechnologieÂ’s clients to gain access to Boehringer IngelheimÂ’s large-scale mammalian biopharmaceutical production facilities in Biberach, Germany and vice versa, Boehringer IngelheimÂ’s clients to use RentschlerÂ’s facilities of process development and intermediate-scale clinical supply production.

Through the cooperation clients from the pharmaceutical and the biotech industry will benefit from the combined development and manufacturing know-how and facilities, leading to increased flexibility and ultimately more customized services. Compatible bioprocessing methods guarantee a seamless project transfer between the companies which are conveniently located in close vicinity.

Rentschler Biotechnologie, a full-service contract manufacturer focused on process development and small to medium scale production of mammalian cell-derived biopharmaceuticals, currently operates eight independent GMP lines with fermenter volumes of up to 500 L. A 2,500 L has recently been qualified and is going to start operations. Boehringer Ingelheim, who offers similar services with technologies optimized for large scale industrial production, runs one of the worldÂ’s largest biotech facilities with fermenter volumes of up to 15,000 L.

“The cooperation with Boehringer Ingelheim will increase the value of our services, as both companies will benefit from the combined expertise and the easy transfer from small/medium to large scale production” commented Dr. Wieland W. Wolf, Vice Chairman of the Rentschler Group.

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Rolf G. Werner, Corporate Senior Vice President of the Corporate Division Biopharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH said “Rentschler Biotechnologie is a strong partner for process development and supply of clinical material in Europe and complements our worldwide strategic Production Alliance Network. Based on compatible process technologies and Boehringer Ingelheims proprietary know-how and expertise in high titer and high yield manufacturing process formats we will combine state-of-the-art development at Rentschler for accelerated time to clinic with a smooth technology transfer to Boehringer Ingelheim for large-scale commercial manufacturing”.

Link to the press release:
http://www.b3c.de/php/popup.php?id=103

About Rentschler Biotechnologie – www.rentschler.de
Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH is part of the privately held Rentschler Group based in Laupheim, Germany. As an international full-service contract manufacturer with a highly skilled staff of 340, Rentschler Biotechnologie has substantial experience in the development, production and approval of cell culture-derived biopharmaceuticals in compliance with international GMP standards. Regulatory advice and fill & finish are part of the company’s service range. As a pioneer in the development and production of biopharmaceuticals, Rentschler was the first company world-wide to gain market authorization for an interferon-containing drug. In 2006, Rentschler announced an investment program of €50 million for expansion of production systems. Currently the first 2,500-L GMP fermentation line is being commissioned.

About Boehringer Ingelheim - www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/biopharm
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the worldÂ’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 135 affiliates in 47 countries and nearly 39,800 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing innovative products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. In 2007, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of almost 11 billion euro while spending one fifth of net sales in its largest business segment Prescription Medicines on research and development.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the leading companies for industrial customer manufacturing of Biopharmaceuticals by offering the entire production technology chain in development and production at its biopharmaceutical facilities in Biberach (Germany) and in Vienna (Austria). The large scale manufacturing sites deliver biopharmaceutical products like therapeutic proteins, fusion proteins, protein scaffolds, monoclonal antibodies, antibody fragments and plasmid DNA. The Biberach site is specialized in highly efficient mammalian cell culture systems with yields well above industry standard in animal component free media. The Austria site offers high-expression in bacteria and yeast with exceptionally high productivities using proprietary systems. In the plasmid DNA manufacturing arena Boehringer Ingelheim in Austria has set the standard and supplies early to late-stage clinical trials with gene-therapeutics and DNA vaccines for its international clients. For more information see: http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/biopharm

Article by: Manu Thomas

Form time immemorial man was always fascinated by ‘The Nature’- his creator, sustainer and destroyer. All his searches for truth were a return to the nature herself. Biotechnology is a technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. The roots of this newly coined word-biotechnology can be seen in the records of the ancient world of Mesopotamia when they started collecting seeds for replanting as early as 8000BC. From there mankind went through a sequence of frontiers in the fields of biotechnology. They discovered the secret of brewing beer, fermenting wine, baking bread with help of yeast. Chinese first made yogurt and cheese with lactic-acid-producing bacteria. With the breakthrough invention of microscope, microorganisms were discovered and biotechnology took a different perspective all together.
The priestly scientist George Mendel proposed the Law of Inheritance by 1856AD and thus opened the doors of genetics which made more and more inquisitive minds get fascinated by the field of biotechnology thus triggering its growth by leaps and bounds. But it was in 1919AD that Karl Ereky, a Hungarian agricultural engineer coined the term biotechnology. And after the discovery of the double stranded “code of life” by James D. Watson and Francis Crick, termed as DNA and the unparallel series of discoveries, inventions and innovations followed, Biotechnology is now the most promising filed in the science of life.
Of the many different definitions available, the one formulated by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is one of the broadest: “Biotechnology means any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.” Biotechnology can also be defined with: “Biotechnology is the manipulation of organisms to do practical things and to provide useful products.” One section of biotechnology is the directed use of organisms for the manufacture of organic products (examples include beer, milk products, and skin). Naturally present bacteria are utilized by the mining industry in bioleaching. Biotechnology is also used to recycle, treat waste, clean up sites contaminated by industrial activities (bioremediation), and produce biological weapons. There are also applications of biotechnology that do not use living organisms. Examples are DNA micro arrays used in genetics and radioactive tracers used in medicine.
Modern biotechnology is often associated with the use of genetically altered microorganisms such as E. coli or yeast for the production of substances like insulin or antibiotics. It can also refer to transgenic animals or transgenic plants, such as Bt corn. Genetically altered mammalian cells, such as Chinese Hamster Ovarian (CHO) cells, are also widely used to manufacture pharmaceuticals. Another promising new biotechnology application is the development of plant-made pharmaceuticals. Biotechnology is also commonly associated with breakthroughs in new medical therapies and diagnostic devices
Related Links:
A directory of biotech sites, can be found at www.indiaweblinks.com