Scorpion Biological Services changes name to Scorpius BioManufacturing post-expansion

The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Scorpion Biological Services will adopt the name Scorpius BioManufacturing after unveiling expanded manufacturing capabilities earlier this year. The company opened a new biomanufacturing facility in San Antonio in October. Scorpius will be headquartered in the same city.

A string of companies have also changed their name in 2022.

The smoking cessation firm Respira became Qnovia. Adagio changed its name to Invivy

CytRx became LadRx. Bone Therapeutics turned into BioSenic.

Scorpius opted to adopt a new name that “better defines our focus and full-service offering,” explained David Halverson, Scorpius president, in a news release.

In addition to its CDMO offerings, the biologics-focused company also is a contract research organization (CRO).

The company can “take our clients’ biologic innovations through the clinic to commercialization,” Halverson said.

“We have long been committed to building biomanufacturing capacity in the United States, using American financing, American labor and American supplies and materials wherever possible,” said Jeff Wolf, founder and chairman of Scorpius, in a news release. “We look forward to partnering with biotech and pharmaceutical companies of all sizes to fulfill this mission under the Scorpius banner.”

The new facility in San Antonio provides services to enable the development of clinical and commercial-scale large molecules. In addition, it offers GCP, GLP and GMP biomanufacturing capabilities in mammalian and microbial modalities.

It offers bioreactors from 50 L up to 2,000 L in volume.

The facility has the equipment to manufacture cell therapy, recombinant proteins from mammalian or microbial systems, and DNA vectors.

In October, the company hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Scorpius employees, local officials, Texas Research & Technology Foundation representatives, VIP guests and San Antonio residents were in attendance.

In April, the company announced a planned development partnership with a private developer, the State of Kansas, and local and university affiliates to support the construction of a $650 million large molecule and biologics biomanufacturing facility in Manhattan, Kansas. That facility will focus on biodefense applications.