Lonza to Incorporate Agilent Analytics Technology Into Cocoon Platform

Lonza and Agilent announced a strategic collaboration to incorporate new analytical technologies into Lonza’s Cocoon platform technology on Dec. 15, 2021. By incorporating analytical technology into Cocoon, an automated and closed platform for patient-scale cell therapy manufacturing, the companies hope to ensure consistent product quality.

According to a Lonza press release, product quality and consistency are difficult to maintain in cell therapy manufacturing due to product complexity and patient-specific variability. Additionally, minor manufacturing changes can result in major effects to quality and efficacy, making in-process controls and analytics critical in ensuring consistency.

To remedy this, Lonza plans to integrate Agilent’s analytics technologies and techniques into the Cocoon platform. These in-process controls and analytics will help provide real-time information on critical quality attributes (CQAs), with the ultimate goal of defining the ideal CQAs required for cell therapies.

“The integration of Agilent’s analytical technologies into the Cocoon [platform’s] manufacturing workflow has the potential to transform the way cell therapies are manufactured and released,” said Nicholas Ostrout, senior director, Business Strategy & Implementation, Personalized Medicine, Lonza, in the press release. “The collaboration with Agilent is complementary to our long-term goals for the Cocoon [platform] and we are excited about this synergistic relationship. There is a huge opportunity through this partnership to determine what the ideal critical quality attributes are for manufacturing the most effective cell therapy, and drive the manufacturing, optimally in real-time, to meet those criteria.”

“Merging Agilent’s unique cell analytics and engineering expertise with Lonza’s advanced biologics manufacturing capabilities will ensure the efficacious and sustainable development of autologous cell-based therapies,” said David Ferrick, associate vice-president, New Market Development, Cell Analysis Division, Agilent, in the press release. “This timely combination is well positioned to deliver the first fit-for-purpose solution for scaled manufacturing of autologous cell therapies.”

Source: Lonza