Perbio Science and Kinetics Group form joint venture to work on new technology for the production of sterile liquids

Perbio Science and Kinetics Group form joint venture to work on new technology for the production of sterile liquids Sweden's Perbio Science and the US Kinetics Group have announced today that they have formed a 50/50 joint venture called HyNetics, which is to use new technology based on single-use containers to develop process systems that can meet the growing demand for cell culture media and other sterile liquids in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Through HyNetics, Perbio Science's Cell Culture division and Kinetics Group will develop technology that makes it possible to manufacture and process sterile liquids entirely in single-use systems. The technology has major benefits including reduction of cleaning costs and shortened changeover times between production runs. "Demand in the pharmaceutical industry for media and other sterile liquids for the production of protein-based pharmaceuticals and vaccines is growing all the time," comments Mats Fischier, CEO of Perbio Science. "Conventional production systems based on permanent steel vessels result in a risk of batch-to-batch contamination and high cleaning costs. Our new technology, where the liquid never comes into contact with a surface that has been used before, is paving the way for a brand new type of sterile production. By introducing single-use systems, HyNetics is offering a safe, flexible and cost-effective solution." HyNetics' first product is a fully automated production system based on the new technology. The system includes newly developed mixing technology and up to a 10,000 litre BioProcess Container, the first of this size in the world. Perbio Science is investing heavily in the new technology and is due to open a new plant with production entirely in single-use systems at Cell Culture's site in Logan, Utah in February 2002. The plant will be the first in the world where the sterile liquid never encounters a permanent surface. This full-scale plant will double the division's production capacity and will also serve as a demonstration facility for customers and partners. For further information, contact Perbio Science CEO Mats Fischier, tel: +46 42 26 90 91 or +46 70 595 18 21. Perbio Science is a biotechnology group with three divisions - Bioresearch, Cell Culture and Medical Device - and sells to research institutes and pharmaceutical companies. The group has 1,041 employees, mainly in the USA, which accounts for the bulk of its business, but also in Europe, China and New Zealand. Its head office is in Helsingborg, Sweden. Further information can be found at www.perbio.com. Perbio Science's Cell Culture division is a world-leading supplier of cell culture media, sera, process liquids and single-use containers for handling sterile liquids (BioProcess Containers). The division's head office is at HyClone Laboratories Inc in Logan, Utah. Kinetics Group is a global supplier of process systems for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries. The company is privately owned and generated sales of USD 1.3 billion in the year 2000. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/11/05/20011105BIT00230/bit0002.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/11/05/20011105BIT00230/bit0002.pdf