ProCognia has been specializing in glycoanalysis for over a decade and has opened the centre as part of its strategy to expand its offering for the analysis and monitoring of sugar structures in originator biologicals and biosimilars for biopharmaceutical companies.

Glycoanalysis is a critical part of the development and production of originator biologicals and biosimilars, which are genetically engineered proteins that include complex sugar molecules. The structure of these molecules affects the medicines’ characteristics, efficacy and safety profiles. Optimizing the glycosylation profile can therefore improve the molecules’ efficacy, safety and similarity (in the case of biosimilars). Consequently, demand for glycoanalysis by drug developers, which was worth US$128 billion in 2011, is growing at a rate of 11% a year.

The new centre is expected to be up and running immediately with the support of local marketing and customer support centres in the company’s key markets of Germany, India and the US, where most biopharmaceutical companies are located. The centre is expected to boost the company’s sales and is hoped might facilitate future collaborations.

ProCognia CEO, Dr Ruth Ben-Yakar said that ‘establishment of the centre will enable us to provide an optimal response to the market’s needs, expand our access to our customers, and increase awareness of the high added value of the company’s services.’

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