Millipore Corporation and Applikon Biotechnology B.V. have announced an agreement to co-develop and distribute disposable bioreactor systems for biopharmaceutical applications. The agreement will build upon the leading positions of Millipore in the disposables market and Applikon in the bioreactor systems market which will facilitate their joint entry into the disposable bioreactor segment of the market. “Our collaboration with Applikon Biotechnology will close an important gap in our disposable product offering and strengthens our position in upstream process development,” said Andrew Bulpin, Vice President of Millipore’s Upstream Processing Business Unit. “As our customers seek to improve the efficiency of their operations, they are increasingly turning to single-use, disposables as an alternative to stainless steel and other materials. The combination of Applikon’s experience in controllers and bioreactors together with Millipore’s global scale and expertise in downstream bioprocessing will enable us to offer one of the industry’s most compelling disposable solutions.” Founded in 1973, Applikon Biotechnology designs, manufactures, and sells integrated bioreactor systems and has significant expertise in the upstream bioprocessing market. By combining the experience and reputation of Applikon with Millipore’s Mobius® suite of disposable technologies, including filtration products, process containers, mixers, connectors, and valves, the two companies will be able to offer biopharmaceutical customers a fully-integrated disposable solution. “Applikon and Millipore have a shared vision for the promise of disposable bioreactor systems and we are excited to partner with them to integrate disposable bioreactors across the spectrum of biopharmaceutical companies,” said Arthur Oudshoorn, Managing Director of Applikon Biotechnology. “Applikon has a strong portfolio of Measurement & Control instrumentation and is recognized worldwide for its reusable bioreactors. On the other hand Millipore has significant capabilities for disposables and is an established player within the cell culture market. Both companies provide highly complementary capacities. We are therefore very excited about the opportunities that this business relationship offers as it puts us in an excellent position to meet the requirements of this dynamic market.” Millipore’s Mobius suite of disposable technologies helps customers eliminate the need for cleaning validation and minimize water usage; reduce energy and labor costs; shorten cycle times between processing runs; and improve the flexibility of their operations. As biopharmaceutical customers become more effective at increasing cell expression and productivity in their upstream operations, disposable technologies are becoming a more viable alternative to classic stainless steel facilities. By reducing the need for large capital plant investments, customers can leverage disposable technologies to reduce their risks and capital requirements.
