Sartorius and medical device manufacturer Respironics have signed an agreement that provides for certain Respironics carbon dioxide sensor technology to be used with Sartorius disposable bioreactors
During the term of the agreement, and subject to certain terms and conditions, Sartorius will have the exclusive right to sell Respironics's Capnostat 5 mainstream carbon dioxide sensor and LoFlo Capnostat 5 sidestream carbon dioxide sensor with Sartorius's disposable bioreactor in the measurement of the amount of carbon dioxide being generated in the fermentation/bio-reaction process in use of living cells in the manufacturing of drugs.
Sartorius plans to integrate Respironics's proprietary sensor technology into its disposable bioreactors in an effort to become the first company worldwide to offer bioreactors enabling required off-gas analysis using disposable technologies during the fermentation/bio-reaction process.This is a critical parameter for cell culturing in the fermenter or bioreactor to obtain active medical ingredients.
Together with measurements of the substances added to the cell lines and of the parameters in the bioreactor, such as temperature or pH, off-gas analysis delivers overall information on cell activity and process stability of fermentation.
Until now, this analysis had been carried out with equipment that had to be sterilised after every sampling procedure and that additionally entailed a high capital outlay of up to US$25,000 dollars.
Respironics offers its Capnostat 5 mainstream and LoFlo Capnostat5 sidestream carbon dioxide sensor and carbon dioxide monitoring technology for use during and recovery, in the intensive care unit, in emergency medicine/transport and for respiratory care.
The Capnostat 5 mainstream and LoFlo Capnostat 5 sidestream can be integrated with virtually any patient monitoring system, and provides technologically advanced measurement of end-tidal carbon dioxide and respiration rate.
Respironics looks forward to expanding markets for its sensor technology, including the biopharmaceutical market through its collaboration with Sartorius.
Reinhard Vogt, senior vice president of sales and marketing of the biotechnology division at Sartorius said the agreement is an example pointing the way to the future in that it shows how an already established technology in medical applications can be transferred to other market segments.
"Particularly in the past two years, Sartorius has built up a broad portfolio of disposable technologies with which we anticipated the market trends and have considerably set ourselves apart from the competition".
Philip Nuzzo, vice president of OEM and monitoring, explained the benefits of the agreement for Respironics as follows: "Sartorius offers us the opportunity to enter an additional market for our products which further establishes our CO2 technology as the market leader".
Respironics stated that it will not be changing its financial outlook or guidance based on this announcement.
Through this agreement and others like it, Sartorius will continue expanding its portfolio of disposable technologies for the production of biopharmaceuticals.
