SGS Life Science Services Announces Expansion of Glasgow Laboratory

SGS Life Science Services, thas completed its expanded facility in Glasgow, UK, for the testing of cell banks for vaccines, gene and cell therapies, monoclonal antibodies and other recombinant protein based biological medicines. The new laboratory adds an additional 500 m² and will be adjacent to SGS’ existing centre of excellence for viral safety, now totalling 1124 m², with the enhanced capacity and capability in cell culture testing.

Employing more than 45 scientific and quality personnel, the lab will offer a full range of validated bioanalytical methods to support the manufacturing, biopharmaceutical stability and lot release of drug product, including host cell protein, endotoxin, ELISA, western blotting and residual impurity testing. 

Scientific expertise and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) BiaCore T200 equipment located within the facility will facilitate off the shelf and customised binding kinetics, and potency measurement of monoclonal antibodies and other recombinant protein-based biological medicines.

The new laboratory will also offer nucleic acid sequencing technologies and enhanced real-time PCR platforms to support viral safety and genetic stability assessment of cell banks for vaccines, gene and cell therapies. In addition, to meet pharmacopeial requirements, SGS will undertake validated PCR assays for detecting mycoplasma contamination during drug product manufacturing.

“As the pharma industry becomes increasingly focused on large molecule biologics, so we are increasing our service capacity and capabilities in this area,” commented Archie Lovatt, Scientific Director at SGS Life Science Services. “This is a rapidly expanding field where much broader and highly specialised testing expertise and equipment are required, to establish the safety of novel human therapies and vaccines, and one which we see as key to our strategic growth.”