American Protein Partners with SeraCare, Set to Expand BSA and Plasma Fractionation Capacity
"The favorable response and acceptance of our bovine albumin has encouraged us to step up our expansion plans, and now to partner with SeraCare, an industry leader in the manufacture and marketing of diagnostic components," said Keith Barnes, president and CEO of AMPC. The new alliance will ensure that our products are refined and marketed to the wide segment of the growing diagnostic industry served by SeraCare."
SeraCare, a fully integrated collector, manufacturer, and marketer of human plasma diagnostic products, operates 33 source plasma and antibody collection centers throughout the United States. "The alliance with APC, the world leader in bovine plasma products, provides for unlimited potential growth and lays the foundation for future expansion of this relationship, " said Barry Plost, CEO of SeraCare. "I have been aware of the quality of AMPC products for many years and look forward to our alliance."
The deal grants SeraCare the right to market APC Biologicals bovine serum albumin to the diagnostic industry worldwide, and establishes a framework for cooperation on a variety of diagnostic plasma matrices and high-purity derivatives. Bovine albumin, also known as Fraction V, is a key component of diagnostic or research assays and reagents for automated clinical analyzers, as well as for cell and microbial culture.
"Our alliance with SeraCare is a strong indication of the confidence the diagnostic industry places in the company, our manufacturing processes and product performance," commented Michael Budnick, business development manager for APC's Biologicals division. "While serving the general market for standard and culture grades of albumin, our protein chemists continue to refine the product to ensure performance in the most sensitive diagnostic applications."
Supply Agreement Feeds New Plant
Through the arrangement with Seracare, APC Biologicals has also ensured its ability to supply high quality product for the diagnostic, veterinary, biopharmaceutical, and research segments well into the future. The division is building a new multi-million dollar facility to expand production of fractionated blood proteins and other animal-derived products for both biological and nutraceutical applications. "Because of strong demand for our product, we have already quadrupled capacity in 1999, expanding our existing plant's capabilities well beyond original expectations," Budnick said. "The new plant, on line in mid 2000, will significantly increase our production capacity for BSA, and will enable us to produce many other valuable proteins and lipid derivatives."
AMPC's R&D Facility in Ames, IA
AMPC's manufacturing process boasts significant regulatory and quality advantages: it has rapid throughput and is continuous, completely closed, and solvent-free. The company prides itself on providing diagnostic products of very high, "single-peak HPLC purity," according to director of operations Randy Fitzgerald. BSA preparations typically show multiple peaks and can be as much as 40% polymeric, affecting performance, solubility, and stability.
"We have accomplished what no other manufacturer has managed to do—that is, to produce animal-derived plasma proteins by a high-tech, efficient process, but retain the functionality of the older Cohn batch-and-solvent methods when appropriate," Budnick said. "And [now] our access to a stable, economical source of the highest quality raw material is unparalleled in the industry." Budnick also emphasized that with the continuous process the new plant is designed for rapid further expansion as needed. This capability is critical, since AMPC's BSA fractionation process spins off immunoglobulins, lipids, and other salable protein products sold into a variety of industries. For example, the company's NutraGammax (bovine immunoglobulin) is a purified protein supplement used as an ingredient to promote enteric health.
For more information: Michael Budnick, Director of Operations, AMPC Inc., 2325 North Loop Dr., Ames, IA 50010. Tel: 515-296-9941. Fax: 515-296-7110.
By Angelo DePalma