Day: July 1, 2021

Seattle, July 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGC Biologics, a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), announced the signing of a purchase agreement for a state-of-the-art Cell and Gene Therapy commercial manufacturing facility in Longmont, Colorado, currently owned by Novartis Gene Therapies. Once the transaction closes, pending final due diligence, the facility will equip AGC Biologics with significant additional capacity and space to continue to expand its end-to-end Cell and Gene Therapy (C&GT) offering, ensuring security of supply for current and future C&GT customers. This facility is only 16 miles from AGC Biologics’ state-of-the-art large-scale stainless steel mammalian facility in Boulder, CO.

This news comes just three months after AGC Biologics announced an expansion at its Center of Excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy in Milan, Italy. AGC has invested heavily in C&GT services since the acquisition and integration of MolMed in 2020, and AGC Biologics is now one of the very few CDMO’s in the world offering end-to-end C&GT services, including plasmid production of all grades.

The Longmont facility adds 622,000 square feet of operations and office space within six buildings on the sprawling 229-acre overall campus, located 40 minutes north of Denver. AGC Biologics aims to hire a significant percentage of the talented staff employed by Novartis at the facility.

“The Longmont facility fits perfectly into AGC’s long-term growth and expansion plans,” says AGC Biologics Chief Executive Officer, Patricio Massera. “This move is driven by our dedication to satisfy the needs of our current and future customers.”

“Adding this facility into our global network will be one more step towards our vision of being able to offer our partners, whatever they need it, wherever they need it,” says AGC Biologics Chief Business Officer, Mark Womack.“

About AGC Biologics:

AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to deliver the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners, every step of the way. We provide world-class development and manufacture of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan and we currently employ more than 1,800 employees worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients’ most complex challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and rare diseases. AGC Biologics is the partner of choice. To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com.

Attachment

• dronegenuity-Longmont-CO-017-1

Matteo Pellegrino
AGC Biologics
mpellegrino@agcbio.com

July 01, 2021

• FDA 510k-cleared real-time 3D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter has potential to improve standard of care for structural heart disease and electrophysiology procedures
• Reduced need for general anesthesia accelerates workflows, increases efficiency, and broadens treatment options

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced the first minimally-invasive heart procedure using its new real-time 3D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter. The Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) procedure was carried out by Mohamad Adnan Alkhouli, M.D., at Mayo Clinic (Minnesota, U.S.). Used together with Philips Premium Cardiology Ultrasound System (EPIQ CVx), the real-time 3D Philips Intracardiac Echocardiography Catheter – VeriSight Pro – offers superior 2D and 3D live image guidance for a wide range of procedures in structural heart disease and electrophysiology, allowing interventionalists to navigate procedures with ease, provide superior care, and optimize cath lab performance.

Live ultrasound imaging during structural heart disease and electrophysiology procedures typically relies on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) imaging, in which an ultrasound probe is passed down the patient’s throat and into their esophagus, until it lies next to the heart. TEE requires the patient to be sedated or given general anesthesia, lengthening preparation, procedure, and recovery times and carrying a degree of risk. Philips’ ICE catheter VeriSight Pro uses the same ultrasound technology, miniaturized to fit on the tip of a 1.98mm diameter (9 French) catheter so that it can be navigated to the patient’s heart via their vasculature – the same route used to introduce other catheters during minimally-invasive cardiac surgery. General anesthesia is typically not required, reducing patient risk, and opening up procedures to patients who are not good anesthesia candidates.

“Securing the best-possible live images enables interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists to boost procedure confidence and deliver optimum outcomes for more patients,” said Chris Landon, Senior Vice President and General Manager Image Guided Therapy Devices at Philips. “The exceptional 2D and 3D imaging capabilities of Philips Intracardiac Echocardiology Catheter – VeriSight Pro – make it a superb choice for image guidance in interventional procedures, reducing reliance on general anesthesia and the logistical hurdles that go with it.”

For interventional cardiologists, VeriSight Pro delivers a good alternative high quality 3D live image to TEE, including 3D Volume and Color Flow imaging. Based on Philips’ innovative xMATRIX 3D ultrasound transducer technology, Verisight Pro can provide a 90 by 90 degree 3D field of view as well as allowing physicians to view two scan planes simultaneously – for example, the long and short axes of the left atrial appendage (LAA) to select the appropriately sized device for LAA closure. VeriSight Pro provides superior 2D ICE imaging, as well as the ability to access new views more easily. Interventionalists can digitally change the scan angle to capture views without manually repositioning the ultrasound tip, a unique feature of this ICE catheter.

Philips Intracardiac Echocardiology Catheter – VeriSight Pro – is designed to be used with Philips Premium Cardiology Ultrasound System (EPIQ CVx). Philips offers integrated solutions for the treatment of Structural Heart Disease, combining interventional X-ray, 3D ultrasound and related interventional tools that are designed to enable confident navigation and positioning of devices to optimize outcomes while reducing procedure time.

Philips Intracardiac Echocardiology Catheter – VeriSight Pro – is available on a limited basis in the U.S.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Groves
Philips Global Press Office
Tel.: +31 631 639 916
E-mail: mark.groves@philips.com

Fabienne van der Feer
Philips Image Guided Therapy
Tel: + 31 622 698 001
E-mail: fabienne.van.der.feer@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2020 sales of EUR 17.3 billion and employs approximately 77,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

Attachments

• Real-time 3D Philips Intracardiac Echocardiography Catheter – Verisight Pro
• Philips Intracardiac Echocardiography Catheter – Verisight Pro – product only
• Philips Intracardiac Echocardiography Catheter – Verisight Pro – product in hand