The demand for a more environmentally friendly production of pharmaceuticals is increasing and along with it, the need for alternative solutions for purification of biopharma products. Bio-Works has been awarded SEK 250,000 in financial support from the EU’s regional structural fund to develop a production method for chromatography resins that eliminates the use of fossil oil-based solvents. 

“If the production of biological drugs is to become climate neutral, a fossil-free purification process is crucial, and Bio-Works comes a big step closer with the product we are now developing.

I am very happy and hopeful to be able to contribute in a concrete way towards a more sustainable future for biotech”, says Jonathan Royce, CEO of Bio-Works.

Purification using chromatography resins is a step in the production of biological drugs, which is crucial for the drug to be distributed to humans. A new type of resin, based on fossil-free raw materials, would greatly lower the total carbon footprint of the end product. There are currently no completely fossil-free resins on the market.

The project is expected to be implemented in 2023 and is part of the EU’s green transition work to reduce the region’s carbon footprint. The new production method is expected to be introduced in 2024/2025.

To read more about the EU’s green transition work, see the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.(Tillväxtverket)