Asahi Kasei Medical has completed the  construction of its third assembly plant for Planova™ virus removal filters in Nobeoka,  Miyazaki, Japan, and held its completion ceremony on May 24, 2024. 

The bioprocess business of Asahi Kasei Medical comprises Planova™ virus removal filters and  equipment used in the manufacturing process of biotherapeutic products such as  biopharmaceuticals and plasma derivatives, biosafety testing services, and biopharmaceutical  Contract Development and Manufacturing (CDMO) operations. It is one of the Asahi Kasei Group’s  businesses to drive future growth. 

Planova™ cellulose hollow-fiber membrane filters, developed specifically for removing viruses  from biotherapeutic products, were launched in 1989, followed by Planova™ BioEX hydrophilic  PVDF hollow-fiber membrane filters in 2009. Both product lines have earned wide recognition  among pharmaceutical manufacturers for their outstanding contribution to the safety of  biopharmaceuticals, and their adoption has expanded worldwide. A next-generation line of  cellulose hollow-fiber membrane filters, Planova™ S20N, was launched in 2022 featuring robust  virus removal capability and simplified operation and has been highly regarded among customers. 

With heightened standards throughout the world for the viral safety of biotherapeutics and  advances in the development of monoclonal antibodies and other biopharmaceuticals, global  demand for virus removal filters is expected to continue growing. To further ensure stable supply,  Asahi Kasei Medical has been proactively expanding production capacity for Planova™ including  the 2019 completion of a new spinning plant for Planova™ in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan, and the  2021 decision to expand its spinning plant for Planova™ BioEX filters in Oita, Japan, in addition  to the assembly plant completion announced today. 

Asahi Kasei Medical will continue to support biotherapeutics manufacturers by enabling them to  safely and efficiently manufacture products that patients can trust through innovative and  exceptionally reliable bioprocess consumables and equipment, as well as scientific support and  biosafety testing services. 

For more information, visit https://planova.ak-bio.com/ 

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