Fermented Small Molecules

Closed-process containment, optimized processes, accelerated speed-to-market —our team is passionate about exceeding clients’ expectations

Route options are valuable when approaching API production, and BIOVECTRA offers robust microbial fermentation and chemical synthesis capabilities. Many of our programs utilize microbial fermentation to complete designated transformation steps, and the product is then seamlessly handed off to our synthetic small molecule team for further processing.

We provide commercial microbial fermentation capabilities, offering full support throughout products’ life cycles. Clients come to us with complex problems that require flexibility and creative solutions. Our experience and dedication give them the confidence that we can execute their programs successfully.

 

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“We’ve built unique, efficient, and effective downstream processing for small molecules. For example, in many cases our team has been able to reduce product filtration time from a large fermenter by 70 – 80%, creating a lot of client value.”

Mark Wellman,VP and GM Complex Chemistry Operations

“We’re constantly learning new ways to produce these micro-organisms. We are flexible to the conditions our clients’ transfer to us, we develop new procedures and apply our best practices to benefit the client’s program. Our team is always striving to improve.”

 –Scott Doncaster, Vice President, Manufacturing, Technology & Engineering

Fortified Supply Assurance

Extensive Microbial Fermentation for API Experience
The supply of our clients’ products is in good hands given BIOVECTRA’s more than 20 years of experience producing commercial quantities of API using long microbial fermentation processes within an established GMP environment.

Contamination Mitigation Expertise
Many of our clients are concerned about the risk of contamination, particularly for longer fermentation processes. By utilizing technologies initially designed for sterile API production, BIOVECTRA has engineered the ability to safely mitigate contamination risks. 

Improved Process Economics

Optimizing Fermentation Processes
We increase yields by analyzing, understanding, and optimizing fermentation and purification processes to not only achieve clients’ targets but frequently go well beyond them.

Exquisite Execution Over Extended Production Campaigns
Our clients rely on us for consistent execution—delivering their products properly every time.

Accelerated Speed-to-Market

Parallel Development
To maximize speed to product release, our bioanalytical group is structured to ensure that method qualification and validation activities occur in parallel to scale-up and engineering activities. 

Comprehensive Capabilities Aligned Under One Roof
To provide clients maximum speed-to-market, product quality, and flexibility, BIOVECTRA offers a full suite of capabilities within one organization, including robust process analytical expertise, process development, and commercial manufacturing.

Highly Skilled, Reliable Partner

Highly Efficient, Customized Downstream Processing
Downstream processing can be quite challenging as products have ranging characteristics and sensitivities. It’s all too easy to create filtration bottlenecks that cause safety issues and very long cycle times, increasing cost of goods. BIOVECTRA uses approaches tailored to each process’s challenges, with product quality, efficiency, and client needs at the forefront.

Experience with a Wide Range of Hosts
To offer maximum flexibility and capability, BIOVECTRA deploys decades of fermentation and purification experience with a wide range of hosts, including fungi, yeasts, as well as anaerobic and gram-negative bacteria. 

Scope and Scale

  • Pilot Scale Fermenters
    • Flask to 1,500 L  
  • Commercial Scale Fermenters
    • Flask to 10,000L or 15,000L  
  • 56L potent chromatography column with automated fraction collection
  • Experienced with fungi, yeasts, anaerobic and gram-negative bacteria
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Process Development

Demonstrated experience in process development and characterization, offering phase appropriate solutions and rapid optimization.

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Analytical Development

Targeted analytical support from early development to validation of commercial processes and continuous process verification, all along the life cycle of your program.

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Tech Transfer

Dedicated tech transfer teams ensuring a seamless transition from development to manufacturing - collaborating with our clients with a problem-solving mindset.

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Clinical Development

Supplying our clients with pre-clinical and clinical material to enabling them to move quickly and cost-efficiently through the clinical phases.

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Scale-Up

De-risking our client’s programs by effectively managing the transition from lab to pilot to manufacturing scale.

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Commercial Scale

A proven history of commercial manufacturing partnerships growing alongside our clients. Effective collaboration increasing speed-to-market.

Browse Other Areas of Expertise

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Synthetic Small Molecules

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High Potency APIs

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Project Support

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Bioreagents

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Biologics

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  • 20+ years at GSK, leading R&D activities on multiple vaccine programs
  • Recently held positions in industry include: Senior Director (Function Head), Protein Biochemistry; Director, Antigen Design & Prototype Production; and, Associate Director, Antigen Design and Protein Characterization.
  • Key areas of expertise are:
    • Process development of protein Biologics/Recombinant Antigens
    • Recombinant protein expression (mammalian, insect, yeast, bacterial)
    • Production/design of Viral Vectors, mRNA vaccines, Bacterial outer membrane vesicles
    • Protein Engineering and Structural Biology
    • Defining quality attributes, biophysical characterization of proteins, and analytical strategy
  • Post graduate degrees in Functional Genomics (Université Laval) and Bioinformatics (MIT); M. Sc. Microbiology and Immunology (Laval).
  • 25+ Patent & 5 Scientific Publications

Normand Blais – Senior Director Development & Innovation, Biologics

  • 20+ years at GSK, leading R&D activities on multiple vaccine programs
  • Recently held positions in industry include: Senior Director (Function Head), Protein Biochemistry; Director, Antigen Design & Prototype Production; and, Associate Director, Antigen Design and Protein Characterization.
  • Key areas of expertise are:
    • Process development of protein Biologics/Recombinant Antigens
    • Recombinant protein expression (mammalian, insect, yeast, bacterial)
    • Production/design of Viral Vectors, mRNA vaccines, Bacterial outer membrane vesicles
    • Protein Engineering and Structural Biology
    • Defining quality attributes, biophysical characterization of proteins, and analytical strategy
  • Post graduate degrees in Functional Genomics (Université Laval) and Bioinformatics (MIT); M. Sc. Microbiology and Immunology (Laval).
  • 25+ Patent & 5 Scientific Publications

Oliver Technow - Chief Executive Officer

  • Industry Master Degree from Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce, Frankfurt Germany.
  • More than 20 years of global pharmaceutical industry experience.
  • Held numerous leadership positions in commercial development, marketing and brand management, and lifecycle management and has extensive product launch and market access expertise in Europe and North America.
  • In 1997, joined Eisai GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany and in 2002, was appointed Director, CNS Business Unit; in 2006, was appointed Vice President, Head of Global Marketing for Eisai Inc. in Woodcliff Lake, NJ;  in 2011, was appointed Vice President, Established Products Business Unit; in 2013, was appointed President & General Manager for Eisai Limited in Mississauga, ON.
  • Appointed President of BIOVECTRA Inc., December 10, 2015.
  • Board Director for BIOTECanada
  • Member of the Steering Council of Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC)
  • In 2017, appointed to the Government of Canada’s Health/Bio-sciences Strategic Economic Table
  • In November 2019, promoted to Chief Executive Officer at BIOVECTRA
  • In June 2020, named new Chair of PEI BioAlliance Board of Directors