- AGC Biologics has signed a service agreement with Japan’s Okayama University to support development of a new therapeutic.
- The project will involve cell line development in Seattle and cGMP manufacturing in Chiba, aiming for clinical trials in 2026.
AGC Biologics has announced a new agreement with Okayama University, a national academic institution in Japan, to support the development of a novel therapeutic. The partnership will utilise the CDMO’s global infrastructure, combining early-stage development in the United States with contract manufacturing capabilities in Japan.
Under the terms of the agreement, AGC Biologics will conduct cell line development at its Seattle site using the proprietary CHEF1™ expression platform, which has been used to develop over 55 molecules and five commercial products. The project will then be transferred to the company’s Chiba facility in Japan for process development ahead of clinical trials scheduled for 2026.
“This project is a perfect example of our winning global blend,” said Susumu Zen-in, General Manager of AGC Biologics’ Chiba facility, “combining the world-class cell line development excellence in Seattle with the most-advanced cGMP-compliant mammalian cell culture manufacturing capabilities available in Japan.”
The Chiba facility provides mammalian cell culture-based services to clients across Japan and neighbouring regions. The collaboration demonstrates AGC Biologics’ ability to offer a seamless, end-to-end solution from early development through to cGMP clinical manufacturing across geographies.
AGC Biologics emphasised its focus on supporting research institutions by offering flexible, specialised CDMO services to advance emerging therapies.
