An Insiders' Thoughts On Cell Culture And Cancer Therapeutics

Bioresearchonline interviews Gary Goodrich, President, BioProcessing, Inc.

Gary Goodrich, President and Founder of BioProcessing Inc, has over 15 years of experience in the cell culture and cancer therapeutics industry. His recent interview with BioResearchonline draws projections for the next 3-5 years for CROs and outlines advantages of working with firms like BioProcessing, Inc.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: Bioprocessing, Inc. implies that you make some sort of biopharmaceutical. What exactly does your company provide?

GARY GOODRICH: Bioprocessing, Inc. actually does not make biopharmaceuticals. I chose this name for the company in 1990 before this term became a synonym for the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. Bioprocessing, Inc. purifies human and cell culture based tumor marker proteins for specific use in the diagnostic and to a lessor extent research industries. As it turns out we use the same bioreactor technology and have similar skill sets as compared to biopharma. This has enabled us to expand our business by offering services to make cell culture based products such as monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: Where are the most significant advances in BioPharma industry?

GARY GOODRICH: In our area of expertise the approval of several cancer drugs such as Herceptin, Tarceva and Avastin have begun to give oncologists new and effective alternatives for cancer salvage therapies. It is exciting because it gives onocologists an opportunity to more effectively manage cancer patients and sometimes even provide a cure.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: How have your products supported these cancer drugs?

GARY GOODRICH: Many of these bio cancer drugs may in the future become first or second line choices to treat some cancers. The vast majority of breast cancers, for example, express MUC-1 which is detected in a blood test, Ca-15-3or Ca27.29. We produce this protein required as a raw material for these tests using our bioreactor technology here at Bioprocessing, Inc. These tests are additional and valuable tools used to monitor the recurrence of breast cancer. The MUC-1 protein and specific peptide fragments are also being used by several clinical researchers in both biopharmaceutical and academic clinical research settings as cancer vaccines. During clinical trials important information is collected using a MUC-1 assay to monitor the circulating levels of MUC-I in the vaccinated patients. In-vitro ELISPOT assays are used to test patient immune response to the vaccine also requiring the MUC-1 or Ca15-3 antigen as part of the assay protocol. Many of the FDA approved tumor marker assays are routinely being used to monitor patients in clinical trials for a variety of new bio cancer drugs.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: What advantages do customers receive with Bioprocessing, Inc. outside of other cell culture services?

GARY GOODRICH: Bioprocessing, Inc. uses continuous perfusion bioreactor technology, Celligens from New Brunswick Scientific utilized to make high quality reagents strictly to GMP/ISO9001:2000 standards. This technology is very efficient for a scale, which in diagnostic terms is considered large, for example 40-80 gm batch sizes of mouse monoclonal antibodies. Bioprocessing is also small and very focused. This allows us to be very responsive to client timeframes. For example, we can often produce batches of monoclonal antibodies in about 45 days from cell stock to media concentrate. In addition, Bioprocessing has recently built and is operating at a new state of the art facility, which allows for a four-fold growth capacity.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: What does the next 3-5 years hold for companies like yourself?

GARY GOODRICH: Small companies, like ours, which have targeted, very focused technologies and skill sets will grow and be successful within their "technology niche". To continue to be successful and remain independently small, as defined by small market size and limited resources, a company like ours needs to be leading experts in a single area, not just good in several areas.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: How will this impact Bioprocessing, Inc.? What really makes you different than other CRO's used to produce reagents?

GARY GOODRICH: Over the next few years Bioprocessing, Inc. continues to focus on its core business, the large diagnostic scale manufacture of tumor marker reagents used in the diagnostic industry. We are unique in that no other company has our long-term experience for the targeted manufacture of tumor marker reagents. We do not make assays or kits, which compete, with our diagnostic clients. The experience that Bioprocessing has gained over many years of producing cell culture tumor markers has uniquely positioned us to manufacture new oncology related proteins and antibodies, especially glycoproteins, in an efficient and timely manner while meeting all GMP/ ISO9001:2000 requirements. Our future growth will be accelerated by the expansion of our specialized type and focus of contract manufacturing. Mr. Goodrich with enthusiasm adds, " We like what we do here and take pride in it and besides Maine is a great place to live to do this important work.

BIORESEARCHONLINE: What should someone visiting Maine Be sure to see?

GARY GOODRICH: A moose. They even occasionally wander into the city of Portland.

About Gary Goodrich:
Gary Goodrich, President and Founder received his B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Vermont and his M.S. in Clinical Chemistry at Northeastern University. Prior to founding Bioprocessing, Inc in 1991 Mr. Goodrich was involved in small start up diagnostic reagent businesses. Prior work included prostate cancer research for Tufts University, clinical chemistry at the Beth Israel Hospital and Research and Development for New England Nuclear Corp. all in Boston, Ma. before moving to Maine in 1981.