Cerbios opens new R&D Center in Lugano

Lugano, Switzerland: – High-tech CDMO Cerbios-Pharma SA (Cerbios) today announced the official opening of its new R&D Center.

Cerbios hosted the opening ceremony for the 1,120 square meter building for VIP guests including Ticino Canton’s Economy Minister Onorevole Christian Vitta, Mayor of Lugano, Marco Borradori, Farma Industria Ticino President, Dr. Giorgio Calderari and Director of Canton Ticino Industry Association, Stefano Modenini.

Several of the officials stressed the importance of this significant new Cerbios investment to Ticino and Lugano against a background of a generally challenged local economy.

Significant investment

Dr. Calderari, as President of the Association of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industries in Ticino, also highlighted the excellence of the pharma sector in the canton, with average annual investment of over 190 million Swiss Francs and a total workforce of 3,000 employees.

Ticino’s Economy Minister, Mr. Vitta, said he was proud to participate at the event and visit Cerbios for the first time. The Life Science industry’s importance for Ticino is reflected in the Canton’s investment in the new center for the world-renowned Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Bellinzona, to open by the end of 2020.

Cerbios has heavily invested during the past 15 years, in infrastructure, acquisitions and partnerships in its strategic drive for innovation and differentiation. The strategy has succeeded in more than doubling company turnover and number of employees. It has also generated value in the area confirming a strong sustainability approach that will be validated this summer with the company’s first sustainability report.

Lugano Major Marco Borradori reminded the ceremony that Cerbios had finished among the winners at the 2015 Swiss Venture Club Awards for excellence in innovation, sustainability, leadership and local economic contribution.

Recombinant proteins and HPAPIs

Following speeches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests were conducted on a tour of the new state-of-the-art center, with facilities distributed over four storeys.

The new building includes a biological R&D center with three dedicated laboratories for the development of mAbs and recombinant proteins based on CHO mammalian cells, along with a fourth large laboratory to develop pharmaceutical probiotics, It also houses a new additional GMP Archive, administrative offices and Chemical R&D center that doubles Cerbios capacity to develop high potency active ingredients (HPAIs/HPAPIs) for contract manufacturing services, increasing Category 4 Safebridge development services capacity. The new building also boasts underground warehousing and storage facilities.

Rapid build

The new R&D center was completed to a tight schedule, with investment approved in November 2013, construction started in April 2014 and ‘dry building’ achieved before Christmas of the same year. Interior fit out was completed within ten months by October 2015, including separate HVAC systems (one fully dedicated to the CHO Biotechnology laboratories).

The final group of research technicians transferred across to the new laboratories shortly before opening, having remained in the previous R&D center to complete important projects before moving.

About Cerbios-Pharma

Cerbios-Pharma SA is a privately held company located in Lugano, Switzerland, that specializes in the development and manufacture of both chemical and biological APIs for its partners world-wide. Formed in 1994 by the merger of Bioferment SA (founded in 1976) and Sapec SA (founded in 1979), Cerbios specializes in the development and production of high potency active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs) in the area of fine chemicals and biologicals.

Cerbios Chemical Division offers exclusive, third-party manufacturing services for HPAIs while Biological Division produces monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins and pharma probiotics.

Cerbios provides full CMC support to its worldwide partners, including the supply of cGMP clinical batches, registration/validation material and commercially manufactured APIs. Paramount to this is the ability to supply all of the technical documentation and support necessary for a successful registration. Cerbios’ commercial products are marketed worldwide but primarily in Europe, USA, Japan and India.