SciLifeLab strengthens development of biological drugs
SciLifeLab’s Drug Discovery and Development platform is taking an important step towards new biological therapeutics. In addition to supporting the discovery of new protein-based drugs, the platform is now expanding the services to include cell line development for biopharmaceuticals which is an important first step in the development of a manufacturing process. This marks a key advance in Sweden’s efforts to bridge academic innovation and industrial production.
The development is made possible through BRIDGE Sweden, a Vinnova-funded national initiative that brings together partners such as Testa Center, Lund Stem Cell Center and pre-GMP Facility at Lund University, and STUNS. Within this collaboration, SciLifeLab Drug Discovery and Development (DDD) platform now integrates commercial CHOZN® GS-/- and CHOZN® CHO-K1 cell lines from Merck Life Science into the offered services. The first and most crucial step toward large-scale biologics production is the establishment of robust, high-performing cell lines. This integration directly supports that goal.
The CHOZN® platform combines high-performing CHO cell lines with optimized media, expression vectors, and robust protocols. It enables efficient selection of high-producing clones and seamless scale-up to GMP production. The GS-/- knockout line streamlines clone selection and maximizes productivity, while the CHO-K1 line provides a versatile alternative.
Niklas Berndt Thalén, Research Scientist at DDD, SciLifeLab, emphasizes the impact of the integration:
“By adding both CHOZN® GS-/- and CHOZN® CHO-K1 to our workflow, we can deliver more flexible and efficient biologics development services. This strengthens our ability to support projects from discovery through to clinical material.”
Following the licensing agreement, BRIDGE Sweden is now fully operational in cell line development (CLD) and is advancing efforts to secure GMP cell lines for selected projects. CLD is a central component of the initiative and its mission to strengthen Sweden’s capacity in biologics.
BRIDGE Sweden is a national initiative aimed at accelerating the translation of academic research into industrial and clinical applications, supported by Vinnova and Swelife. By strengthening and connecting infrastructure and expertise in biologics development, the project promotes innovation and competitiveness within Sweden’s life science sector. This work is carried out in collaboration with Testa Center, Lund Stem Cell Center and the pre-GMP Facility at Lund University, STUNS, Umeå Biotech Incubator, Karolinska Institutet, Lund University, Uppsala University, KI Innovations, LU Innovation, and UU Innovation.
