A Step Closer to a Biomanufacturing Centre of Excellence in NZ
Following nearly 10 years’ of research and development at the University of Canterbury, Precision Chroma’s innovative biotechnology has been acquired by the investment company Bridgewest Ventures and is now on a fast-track to global commercialisation.
Precision Chroma specialise in 3D printed chromatography columns – a method of separating and purifying biological molecules from a fluid mixture. This crucial technology serves the entire medicinal therapeutics industry, enabling purification of DNA, RNA, viruses and antibodies that can be used in vaccines and cell and gene therapies.
The separations industry needs are growing as global development of clinical therapies increases. Yet, this brings problems of efficiency and requires effectively isolating these biologicals from hundreds of litres of fluid that they are grown in.
‘’Precision Chroma’s patented, cutting-edge technology will streamline the chromatography process, cutting costs and time and increasing yield. It’s all based on the unique design of our columns, which is borrowed from nature, and combined with optimal fluidics to deliver improved results.”
- Sean Feast, CEO, Precision Chromatography
Precision Chroma have engaged Bridgewest portfolio company BioCina, based in Australia, to help scale-up and accelerate the development of the technology. Saum Vahdat, Managing Partner of Bridgewest Ventures, sees this as another step towards Bridgewest’s goal of creating a biomanufacturing centre of excellence in New Zealand.
‘’Bridgewest has extensive commercial pharmaceutical and biological manufacturing experience and has the global infrastructure needed to support this venture. Our biotech portfolio is growing and Precision Chroma will be at the heart of these companies providing chromatography separation services to meet NZ and global biomanufacturing demands.’’
- Saum Vahdat, Managing Partner, Bridgewest Ventures
About Precision Chromatography
Precision Chromatography is a portfolio company of Bridgewest Ventures NZ LP, a deep tech incubator based in New Zealand. The company is a partnership between Bridgewest Ventures and the University of Canterbury to develop patented 3D printed chromatography columns with optimal fluidics to bring high-value manufacturing capability to New Zealand.
The investment by Bridgewest Ventures was made under the Callaghan Innovation Deep Tech Incubator programme, designed to accelerate commercialisation of early-stage deep tech within NZ.