Eurogentec
Encyclopedia
Eurogentec is an international biotechnology
supplier, based in Belgium
, who specialize in genomics
and proteomics
kits and reagent
s. The company was founded in 1985 as a spin-off from the University of Liège
. Eurogentec is also a contract manufacturing organization, licensed by the Belgian ministry of health to manufacture biologics
. It operates two manufacturing facilities in Belgium that provide custom biologics and oligonucleotide
-based components for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
by two young researchers from the University of Liège, Prof. Joseph Martial and Prof. André Renard. Prof. Joseph Martial crossed the Atlantic at the end of the 70’s to work at UCSF
in an American laboratory and returned a few years later, as a trained genetic engineer, at a time when these technologies were still largely confined to north America. Above all, he came back with a certain concept of the economic role potentially assumed by a university researcher in creating his own enterprise. At that time, there was no ad hoc structure at the ULg to support the launching of a spin-off. Prof. J. Martial recruited a young researcher (Prof. A. Renard). The laboratory was then welcomed by Ulg authorities in their facilities. The company’s first goal was to perfect a vaccine for fish breeding through genetic engineering.
1987: Eurogentec started to distribute Olignonucleotides
for Research laboratories. The company’s first years were difficult but in the very early 1990s, Jean-Pierre Delwart, economist from Brussels University
, boarded the ship and put Eurogentec in a favorable current.
1995: The company came close to insolvency.
1996: Eurogentec became a - CRO
(Contract Research Organization) for the biopharmaceutical sector and entered into collaboration with SmithKline Beecham biologicals (Rixensart, Belgium) for the production of recombinant proteins for phase I, II and III clinical trials. In addition to its pharmaceutical manufacturing activities, Eurogentec became a service company for the biotechnical research industry and university laboratories.
1999: Eurogentec acquired Oswel Research Product Ltd. a biotechnology company based in Southampton, Great Britain and specialized in the synthesis of chemically modified and complex oligonucleotides and their analogues (DNA, RNA, PNA).
2001: The company moved into Japan, creating a joint venture, Nippon EGT, to produce oligonucleotides aimed at the Japanese market.
2002: Eurogentec acquired Wita Proteomics, a company specialized in proteomics services, based in Berlin (Germany). A few month later, Eurogentec installed its US office in San Diego for the production of oligonucleotides (Eurogentec NA).
2003: Eurogentec set up in Singapore to create a joint venture with AIT Biotech Pte Ltd (previously Research Biolabs).
2004: Eurogentec opened its new production laboratories (Oligonucleotides and peptides synthesis) in the Liege Science PARK (Belgium). This intelligent building is also ecological: the building is equipped with a home automation system (lighting without switch) and the heating is produced from a condensation boiler allowing energy savings.
From 2000 to 2008 Eurogentec intensified its services and signed agreements with several companies like Cepheid, Epoch Biosciences, Exiqon, Delphi, In Cell Art.
2007: In order to fully meet the Oligonucleotide in vitro diagnostics stringent manufacturing requirements, Eurogentec expanded its current GMP facility in Liège. Three years latter Nippon EGT and Eurogentec NA also received ISO 13485 certification for the Oligonucleotide diagnostics manufacturing.
2009 October, Eurogentec announced the acquisition of AnaSpec
, a privately owned proteomics company based in Fremont, USA. Anaspec is a provider of proteomics for life science research; they specialize in peptides synthesis, labelled peptides and antibodies, fluorescent dyes and enzyme activity assays.
2010: Kaneka acquired a majority stake in Eurogentec S.A. Kaneka's products include synthetic resins, resin products, chemicals, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electrical raw materials and synthetic fibres.
(e.g. Oligonucleotides, DNA polymerase
s, Real-time qPCR Probes
and High-throughput Dispensing) and Proteomics
(e.g. monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies
, peptide
s, assay kits and fluorescent dyes
). The diagnostics business unit provides products for DNA- and RNA-based molecular diagnostics assay; manufacturing processes take place in clean rooms. The biomanufacturing business unit is a GMP
Biomanufacturer specialized in the technology transfer, process development, scale-up and manufacturing of proteins, plasmids and vaccines. In 2009, Eurogentec Biologics developed a vaccine against bilharziosis
in partnership with INSERM and researchers from the Pasteur Institute
.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
supplier, based in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, who specialize in genomics
Genomics
Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis,...
and proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
kits and reagent
Reagent
A reagent is a "substance or compound that is added to a system in order to bring about a chemical reaction, or added to see if a reaction occurs." Although the terms reactant and reagent are often used interchangeably, a reactant is less specifically a "substance that is consumed in the course of...
s. The company was founded in 1985 as a spin-off from the University of Liège
University of Liège
The University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
. Eurogentec is also a contract manufacturing organization, licensed by the Belgian ministry of health to manufacture biologics
Biologics
A biologic is a medicinal product such as a vaccine, blood or blood component, allergenic, somatic cell, gene therapy, tissue, recombinant therapeutic protein, or living cells that are used as therapeutics to treat diseases...
. It operates two manufacturing facilities in Belgium that provide custom biologics and oligonucleotide
Oligonucleotide
An oligonucleotide is a short nucleic acid polymer, typically with fifty or fewer bases. Although they can be formed by bond cleavage of longer segments, they are now more commonly synthesized, in a sequence-specific manner, from individual nucleoside phosphoramidites...
-based components for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
History
1985: The company was founded in LiègeLiège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
by two young researchers from the University of Liège, Prof. Joseph Martial and Prof. André Renard. Prof. Joseph Martial crossed the Atlantic at the end of the 70’s to work at UCSF
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
in an American laboratory and returned a few years later, as a trained genetic engineer, at a time when these technologies were still largely confined to north America. Above all, he came back with a certain concept of the economic role potentially assumed by a university researcher in creating his own enterprise. At that time, there was no ad hoc structure at the ULg to support the launching of a spin-off. Prof. J. Martial recruited a young researcher (Prof. A. Renard). The laboratory was then welcomed by Ulg authorities in their facilities. The company’s first goal was to perfect a vaccine for fish breeding through genetic engineering.
1987: Eurogentec started to distribute Olignonucleotides
Oligonucleotide
An oligonucleotide is a short nucleic acid polymer, typically with fifty or fewer bases. Although they can be formed by bond cleavage of longer segments, they are now more commonly synthesized, in a sequence-specific manner, from individual nucleoside phosphoramidites...
for Research laboratories. The company’s first years were difficult but in the very early 1990s, Jean-Pierre Delwart, economist from Brussels University
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
, boarded the ship and put Eurogentec in a favorable current.
1995: The company came close to insolvency.
1996: Eurogentec became a - CRO
Contract research organization
A contract research organization, also called a clinical research organization, is a service organization that provides support to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in the form of outsourced pharmaceutical research services...
(Contract Research Organization) for the biopharmaceutical sector and entered into collaboration with SmithKline Beecham biologicals (Rixensart, Belgium) for the production of recombinant proteins for phase I, II and III clinical trials. In addition to its pharmaceutical manufacturing activities, Eurogentec became a service company for the biotechnical research industry and university laboratories.
1999: Eurogentec acquired Oswel Research Product Ltd. a biotechnology company based in Southampton, Great Britain and specialized in the synthesis of chemically modified and complex oligonucleotides and their analogues (DNA, RNA, PNA).
2001: The company moved into Japan, creating a joint venture, Nippon EGT, to produce oligonucleotides aimed at the Japanese market.
2002: Eurogentec acquired Wita Proteomics, a company specialized in proteomics services, based in Berlin (Germany). A few month later, Eurogentec installed its US office in San Diego for the production of oligonucleotides (Eurogentec NA).
2003: Eurogentec set up in Singapore to create a joint venture with AIT Biotech Pte Ltd (previously Research Biolabs).
2004: Eurogentec opened its new production laboratories (Oligonucleotides and peptides synthesis) in the Liege Science PARK (Belgium). This intelligent building is also ecological: the building is equipped with a home automation system (lighting without switch) and the heating is produced from a condensation boiler allowing energy savings.
From 2000 to 2008 Eurogentec intensified its services and signed agreements with several companies like Cepheid, Epoch Biosciences, Exiqon, Delphi, In Cell Art.
2007: In order to fully meet the Oligonucleotide in vitro diagnostics stringent manufacturing requirements, Eurogentec expanded its current GMP facility in Liège. Three years latter Nippon EGT and Eurogentec NA also received ISO 13485 certification for the Oligonucleotide diagnostics manufacturing.
2009 October, Eurogentec announced the acquisition of AnaSpec
AnaSpec
AnaSpec Inc. is a biotechnology company headquartered in Fremont, California. Located in the Silicon Valley, it is a provider of custom and catalog research peptides, antibodies, dyes, assay kits, synthesis reagents, oligonucleotides, and PCR kits...
, a privately owned proteomics company based in Fremont, USA. Anaspec is a provider of proteomics for life science research; they specialize in peptides synthesis, labelled peptides and antibodies, fluorescent dyes and enzyme activity assays.
2010: Kaneka acquired a majority stake in Eurogentec S.A. Kaneka's products include synthetic resins, resin products, chemicals, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electrical raw materials and synthetic fibres.
Products and services
Eurogentec has developed three interrelated business units, Life Science Research Products and Services, Molecular Diagnostics Manufacturing Solutions, and GMP BioManufacturing. The life science business unit specializes in GenomicsGenomics
Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis,...
(e.g. Oligonucleotides, DNA polymerase
DNA polymerase
A DNA polymerase is an enzyme that helps catalyze in the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides into a DNA strand. DNA polymerases are best known for their feedback role in DNA replication, in which the polymerase "reads" an intact DNA strand as a template and uses it to synthesize the new strand....
s, Real-time qPCR Probes
Real-time polymerase chain reaction
In molecular biology, real-time polymerase chain reaction, also called quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction or kinetic polymerase chain reaction , is a laboratory technique based on the PCR, which is used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA molecule...
and High-throughput Dispensing) and Proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
(e.g. monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies
Antibody
An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...
, peptide
Peptide
Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond...
s, assay kits and fluorescent dyes
Fluorophore
A fluorophore, in analogy to a chromophore, is a component of a molecule which causes a molecule to be fluorescent. It is a functional group in a molecule which will absorb energy of a specific wavelength and re-emit energy at a different wavelength...
). The diagnostics business unit provides products for DNA- and RNA-based molecular diagnostics assay; manufacturing processes take place in clean rooms. The biomanufacturing business unit is a GMP
Good Manufacturing Practice
"Good manufacturing practice" or "GMP" are practices and the systems required to be adapted in pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality control, quality system covering the manufacture and testing of pharmaceuticals or drugs including active pharmaceutical ingredients, diagnostics, foods,...
Biomanufacturer specialized in the technology transfer, process development, scale-up and manufacturing of proteins, plasmids and vaccines. In 2009, Eurogentec Biologics developed a vaccine against bilharziosis
Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by several species of trematodes , a parasitic worm of the genus Schistosoma. Snails often act as an intermediary agent for the infectious diseases until a new human host is found...
in partnership with INSERM and researchers from the Pasteur Institute
Pasteur Institute
The Pasteur Institute is a French non-profit private foundation dedicated to the study of biology, micro-organisms, diseases, and vaccines. It is named after Louis Pasteur, who made some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine at the time, including pasteurization and vaccines for anthrax...
.