From The Editor | September 30, 2015

BPI 2015 Looks To The Future Of Biomanufacturing

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By Trisha Gladd, Editor, Life Science Connect

Best practices

This month, the BioProcess International (BPI) Conference returns to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, where it was held in 2014. As one of the largest bioprocessing events in the industry, this event has always been able to provide a comprehensive review of the challenges and trends facing this community. With a new Drug Product Manufacturing & Fill Finish Processing track, the conference now offers a total of six tracks, each covering key topics impacting today’s bioprocessing landscape.  

As I reviewed the agenda, I took note of several presentations I felt would be of particular value to myself as well as other attendees. Below are just a few of these can’t-miss educational opportunities:

Amgen’s Next Generation Biomanufacturing Facility

As many know, last year, Amgen opened what it’s calling the first next-generation biomanufacturing facility. The $160 million manufacturing plant is located in Singapore and is about 75 percent smaller than traditional facilities. The combination of single-use bioreactors, disposable plastic containers, and continuous purification processing and real-time analysis is what makes it so distinctive and innovative. As we move into a new paradigm of manufacturing, facilities such as this that offer a simpler, more efficient way to make medicine will be crucial to the industry’s success. Kimball Hall, vice president of manufacturing at Amgen Singapore Manufacturing, will present this keynote on Wednesday morning at 8:35. With so much buzz around it over the last year, this is a chance for attendees to learn about the details of the facility and how its unique features and layout make it the future of manufacturing.

What Is The Future Of Continuous Processing?

This question is one being asked by experts across the industry, particularly those focused on the manufacturing of biologics, where some perceive it to be more difficult to implement. One company that has made significant process in this area is Genzyme, and leading the way for them is Dr. Konstantin Konstantinov, vice president of technology development. In another one of the event’s keynote presentations, Dr. Konstantinov will offer his thoughts on this topic in a presentation titled “What is the Future of Continuous Processing – What is the Time Frame for Implementing Fully Continuous Processing in Commercial Production?” As a leader in continuous processing, Dr. Konstantinov will be able to accurately set the expectations around implementation for someone who is considering this path. I believe many experts in the industry are interested to know how Genzyme is approaching continuous processing, and this will be a great opportunity to find out.

Industry Discussion and Q&A Session on Accelerating Biopharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing

This fireside chat, scheduled for Wednesday from 10:30 AM to noon, includes a panel of seven representatives from companies across the industry, including Takeda, Regeneron, and Amgen. The agenda promises attendees the ability to ask questions and engage in conversation with these experts about the following topics:

  • Innovations in technology and products that will accelerate biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing
  • Evolution in biopharmaceutical industry business models that are driven by cost structure, geographic dynamics, and the realities of global and economic policies
  • Industry trends and a look ahead to the next 3-5 years of biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing

I look forward to sitting in on this, as these valuable conversations will no doubt help guide attendees as they make decisions about the future of their own companies.

Overall, the BPI conference is chock full of sessions analyzing the topics and issues challenging today’s biomanufacturing environment. I intend to fill my own schedule for the event with as many of these presentations as I can, so look for future articles on the topics planned for this event. For more information, go the BPI conference site.

I hope to see you there!