JSR Life Sciences Expands Amsphere A3 Production Capacity

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JSR Life Sciences (JLS), the global life sciences focused division of JSR Corporation, today announced plans for expansion of its production capabilities of Amsphere^TM A3 protein-A chromatography resin at JSR’s Belgium subsidiary, JSR Micro NV. This expansion will effectively increase the company's production capacity by 6 times and provide all-important redundancy in its manufacturing capability.

JLS’ Amsphere^TM A3 has experienced rapid adoption as an alkali-stable, high-capacity alternative option for downstream purification in the biopharmaceutical industry since its launch in January 2016. Based on that success and growing demand, JLS has implemented a business continuity strategy that includes multiple location manufacturing to ensure both critical material supply to the global biopharmaceutical market and additional scale capabilities.

JSR chose to expand in Belgium because of the extensive biochemistry and ligand manufacturing expertise already in place at JSR Micro NV as well as the significance of the European market. Phase one of the expansion construction started earlier this year with plans to be fully operational in 2018. The multi-phased expansion plan will keep pace with the growing demand for JLS’s Amsphere^TM A3, with the total additional capacity completed by the end of the company’s fiscal year 2019.

In 2015, JSR acquired a majority interest in contract development and manufacturing organization KBI Biopharma, Inc., a well-established leader in contract development and manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products, with an extensive track record of successful programs for its clients. JLS credits KBI Biopharma with playing a large role in the success of Amsphere^TM A3 that lead to this expansion plan.

“The product development evolution of our protein A resin and the success of Amsphere^TM A3 could not have been possible without the development expertise of KBI Biopharma,” said Eric Johnson, President of JSR’s Life Sciences Division (JLS). “KBI has provided not only a testing ground, but also a leadership that is critical to our success. We are thrilled with the positive market response our Amsphere^TM resin has received and look forward to continuing to work with KBI as we move into our next phases and extend and widen our biopharma process technologies product portfolio.”

About Amsphere^TM A3

Amsphere^TM A3 is a high capacity resin with overall improved process robustness, flow characteristics, optimized impurity removal, productivity and resin lifetime. JLS launched its first Protein A chromatography media in 2012 and has since focused on leveraging JSR Corporation’s core competency in advanced polymer chemistry coupled with JLS’ expertise in protein ligand design and conjugation. As a result, Amsphere^TM A3 is uniquely designed to purify monoclonal antibodies using an innovative polymer matrix and proprietary ligand technology.

About JSR Life Sciences Division (JLS)

JSR Life Sciences Division is a business unit of JSR Corporation, which provides specialized materials and products to the biotech industry. JSR Life Sciences operates a network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and R&D labs in key markets throughout North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. JSR Life Sciences today is focused on diagnostics and research products and downstream bioprocessing materials for pharmaceutical manufacturing.