Samsung Biologics said it launched two new contract development organization (CDO) platforms -- S-AfuCHO and S-OptiCharge -- at the BioProcess International (BPI) Conference 2024.

The BPI conference is a global event that showcases the latest technologies and fosters partnerships in the biopharmaceutical sector, covering areas such as drug development, production, and analytics.

Held annually in Boston, this year’s event runs from Monday to Thursday (local time), drawing more than 3,200 global biopharma experts and featuring exhibition booths from over 220 companies.

Since its entry into the CDO business in 2018, Samsung Biologics has consistently participated in BPI for seven consecutive years, featuring a dedicated booth.

The two new platforms are designed to enhance cancer-fighting efficacy in antibodies and enable the production of high-quality proteins, respectively, and are expected to further improve customer satisfaction.

The S-AfuCHO platform is based on an afucosylated cell line, which enhances antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a key marker of cancer-fighting antibodies. Afucosylation refers to the removal of fucose, a sugar, from the antibody. Without fucose, the ADCC is significantly enhanced, boosting the immune response.

Afucosylated antibodies are more effective in treating diseases like cancer, making this technology a valuable tool in the development of therapeutic antibodies.

Samsung Biologics improved the anticancer efficacy of the S-AfuCHO platform by knocking out FUT8, a key enzyme responsible for fucosylation, thereby increasing the ADCC activity of antibodies up to 14 times compared to conventional cell lines.

S-OptiCharge allows for precise control of protein charge variants. Charge variants, which can occur during the protein production process, can impact the efficacy and stability of biopharmaceutical products and are regulated as critical quality attributes (CQAs).

The platform optimizes key process parameters, such as media selection, additives, oxygen concentration, and temperature, to minimize charge variants, ensuring that clients can produce high-quality proteins with the desired charge profiles.

Samsung Biologics hosted a networking seminar at the BPI event on Wednesday (local time), where it presented its CDO capabilities to key clients and discussed industry trends.

Meanwhile, Samsung Biologics has been focusing on promoting its CDO competitiveness with the new slogan, "Agile. Flexible. Focused on You."

Earlier in June, at the 2024 Bio International Convention in San Diego, the company introduced the S-Tensify platform, which supports high-concentration cell culture, and the SelecTailor, a customized development solution.

With the launch of S-AfuCHO and S-OptiCharge, Samsung Biologics now offers a total of nine CDO platforms and services.