Teknova and Sartorius BIA Separations Announce Collaboration to Address Critical Pain Point in Gene Therapy Process Development

HOLLISTER, Calif., March 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Teknova, Inc. (“Teknova”) (Nasdaq: TKNO), and Sartorius BIA Separations, which is part of the international life science group Sartorius, today announced that the companies have entered into a collaboration arrangement that will help gene therapy companies streamline the downstream purification process. Teknova is a leading producer of critical reagents for the research, discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics, and Sartorius BIA Separations is a leading developer of monolith-based technologies for the separation and analysis of large biomolecules and viral particles.

The collaboration highlights two essential components necessary for the successful recovery of empty and full AAV capsids during anion-exchange (AEX) purification: the separation technology and the buffer composition. With Sartorius BIA Separations’ proprietary AAV platform designed to optimize the separation of viral particles, and Teknova’s custom, high-quality buffer solutions developed to maximize capsid enrichment, the companies conducted a robust design of experiment (DOE) and successfully created a screening kit with optimized buffer formulations that drive consistency and increased purity when paired with the BIA CIMmultus^® QA monolith.

“We’re thrilled to find a like-minded partner with Sartorius BIA Separations, a well-respected, global leader in monolith-based technologies who shares our vision of making solutions possible,” said Stephen Gunstream, Teknova’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Through our collaboration, we’re finding new tools to help our customers streamline the development of AAV therapies by optimizing their purification process and increasing the yield and purity of their AAV product.”

“Teknova is the perfect partner for us as we explore robust, end-to-end solutions for our gene therapy customers seeking to achieve better results in the separation and analysis of viral particles,” added Aleš Štrancar, Managing Director at Sartorius BIA Separations. “Based on their ability to quickly manufacture high-quality, custom buffers that are consistent from batch to batch, we’ve been able to reliably reproduce results and confidently target the discreet differences in empty and full AAV particles.”

Gene therapy companies focusing on AAV will be able to get all the required consumables and a protocol that will streamline and accelerate the downstream processing workflow, enabling them to discover novel breakthroughs faster. Teknova and Sartorius BIA Separations intend to continue developing data demonstrating improvements in AAV purification when using their combined methods.

To learn more about how to benefit from the companies’ findings or to participate in Teknova’s Early Access Program for the AEX Buffer Screening Kit, visit www.teknova.com. For more information about Sartorius BIA Separations CIMmultus QA monolith, visit www.sartorius.com.

ABOUT TEKNOVA
Teknova makes solutions possible. Since 1996, Teknova has been innovating the manufacture of critical reagents for the life sciences industry to accelerate the discovery and development of novel therapies that will help people live longer, healthier lives. We offer fully customizable solutions for every stage of the workflow, supporting industry leaders in cell and gene therapy, molecular diagnostics, and synthetic biology. Our fast turnaround of high-quality agar plates, microbial culture media, buffers and reagents, and water helps our customers scale seamlessly from RUO to GMP. Headquartered in Hollister, California, with over 200,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, Teknova’s modular manufacturing platform was designed by our team of scientists, engineers, and quality control experts to efficiently produce the foundational ingredients for the discovery and commercialization of novel therapies.

ABOUT SARTORIUS BIA SEPARATIONS
Sartorius BIA Separations is the leading developer of monolith technology and the exclusive producer of CIM^® (Convective Interaction Media) chromatographic columns for the production, purification, and analysis of large biomolecules. The Company’s multi-use research, production, and training facility is headquartered in Ajdovščina, Slovenia, with sales and distribution offices located internationally. Sartorius BIA Separations’ ongoing mission is to develop and produce CIM^® monolithic columns of the highest quality and provide superior research and method development services for our customers. In addition, the Company now offers the highly versatile PATfix™ HPLC system for producing analytical gradient separations.

CONTACTS – Teknova

Investor Contacts 
Matt Lowell 
Chief Financial Officer 
matt.lowell@teknova.com
+1 831-637-1100 

Sara Michelmore 
MacDougall Advisors 
smichelmore@macdougall.bio 
+1 781-235-3060 

Media Contact 
Jennifer Henry  
Senior Vice President, Marketing 
jenn.henry@teknova.com 
+1 831-313-1259