Lonza opens Singapore media development lab to de-risk biomanufacturing scale-up
Lonza opens Singapore media development lab to de-risk biomanufacturing scale-up Lonza, one of the world’s leading contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs), has launched a dedicated Media Development Lab at its Singapore facility, offering bioprocessing clients a structured service to optimise cell culture media formulations ahead of GMP manufacturing.
Addressing a persistent gap in bioprocess development
The service, which has been operational at the Singapore site since March 2026, is designed to tackle a well-recognised problem in biopharmaceutical development: the high cost and risk of late-stage media reformulation when laboratory-scale formulations fail to translate reliably into manufacturing-scale processes. Many organisations begin GMP campaigns without systematic media alignment, exposing programmes to costly delays and batch failures.
A design of experiments-led approach
The Media Development Lab employs Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology to evaluate multiple process variables simultaneously, accelerating identification of key performance drivers and reducing iterative development cycles. The service draws on Lonza’s proprietary media and feed libraries, integrating manufacturability insights to select formulations with defined performance ranges and documented process robustness from the outset.
Structured outputs from the service are intended to provide a clear pathway into non-GMP and GMP manufacturing, with raw material readiness and scalability considered at the earliest development stages.
Michael Goetter, Head of Bioscience, Specialized Modalities at Lonza, commented: “We are committed to providing customers with the services they need to reduce early-stage risk and select media formulations that are effective at a laboratory scale and simultaneously practical and reliable in manufacturing. “Our new Media Development Lab enables us to support customers at the critical front end of their programs, shape formulation strategy, and create a natural pathway into non-GMP and GMP manufacturing.”
Strategic positioning for CDMOs
The offering reinforces Lonza’s position in the integrated CDMO market, where early-phase process development services are increasingly valued as tools to de-risk downstream manufacturing.
