Bionova Scientific, a biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in the development and manufacture of recombinant protein therapeutics, reached an agreement to be acquired by the U.S. arm of Asahi Kasei Medical, a core operating company of the Asahi Kasei Group. The acquisition represents a strategic complementary addition to Asahi Kasei Medical’s bioprocess business, which is renowned for Planova virus removal filters, MOTIV inline buffer formulation systems, ViruSure viral safety testing services and Bionique mycoplasma safety testing services.

Bionova Scientific is a portfolio company of Great Point Partners, a Greenwich, CT-based private investment firm focused exclusively on the health care industry.

“We are thrilled to welcome Bionova Scientific to the Asahi Kasei family of companies,” said Ken Shinomiya, director, Asahi Kasei Medical and head of the bioprocess business. “After an in-depth evaluation of Bionova and other biologics CDMOs, we are extremely impressed with Bionova’s scientific strength, their best-in-class facility and their passionate team that is both highly technically capable and extremely attentive to customer needs. They are the ideal organization to serve as the foundation for our entry into the biopharmaceutical CDMO services business.”

Bionova Scientific CEO Darren Head, said, “We are extremely excited to become a part of Asahi Kasei. This represents an important step in our evolution as a company and provides access to new resources that will enable us to continue to add to our capacity and capabilities. Asahi Kasei shares our commitment to helping patients by helping our industry partners succeed, and now we are better positioned than ever to support our clients’ current and long-term needs.”

With the acquisition of Bionova Scientific, Asahi Kasei adds a full-service biologics CDMO with a staff of more than 100 employees in the heart of the San Francisco Bay biotech cluster.  Bionova operates a state-of-the-art 11,000 square foot commercial-ready GMP biologics manufacturing facility located within its 57,000 square foot headquarters, which also houses process development and analytical laboratories. Bionova facilities also include a second 22,000 square foot building with GMP warehouse space.