About Asahi Kasei Bioprocess

Our Business Overview
Our Global Network
Our History

Our Business Overview

Pioneering Biologics Safety and Manufacturing Efficiency

Asahi Kasei Bioprocess is a global solution provider to biologics manufacturing industry. We aim to help biologics manufacturers safely and efficiently produce medicines that patients can trust, by dependably supplying innovative yet exceptionally reliable bioprocess consumables, equipment and scientific support services.

While Asahi Kasei Bioprocess has established a market leadership in virus filtration, we aim to be the global leader and experts in contributing to biologics safety and manufacturing efficiency by leveraging our core technology, brand and services in virus removal.

As a part of the Asahi Kasei Group's sharpening focus on healthcare-related fields, Asahi Kasei Bioprocess is steadily developing its range of advanced manufacturing solutions for the bioprocess industry.

Our Global Network

Our History

In 1980s, rise of awareness on the need to further strengthen viral safety of plasma-derived pharmaceutical products emerged globally due to a number of contamination cases that impacted thousands of patients, specifically those suffered from haemophilia.

Recognizing the issue, Asahi Kasei rose to develop filters specifically designed to remove viruses from plasma-derived pharmaceutical products, leveraging its solid expertise in fibers and filtration technology. The filters were later named "Planova", originated from the words "Plasma" and "Nova" (which means "New Star" in Latin). The world's first virus filter was Planova 35N, with membrane mean pore size of 35 nm, and through collaboration with various pharmaceutical companies, universities, research institutions and regulatory agencies, was successfully evaluated to be able to remove viruses such as HIV and HBV. It was the start of virus filtration technology that later become industry standard.

From there, our road was not easy, and our path to being the leader and experts in the industry does not happen overnight. There was time when we were faced with challenges to continue our business, but with commitment from our staff and support from the industry, we will continue to strive to fulfill our mission: Pioneering Biologics Safety and Manufacturing Efficiency.

While we have accumulated over 30 years of trusted use in the production of biotherapeutics with Planova virus removal filters, we continue to innovate solutions, products and services to help our customers in achieving biologics safety and manufacturing efficiency.

1987	Establishment of "Bemberg Microporous Membrane" Project, which later became Planova Division and developed Planova filters
1989	Launch of Planova 35N virus removal filters as the world's first filters specifically designed for virus removal in biotherapeutics manufacturing
1993	Launch of Planova 15N virus removal filters to capture smaller viruses
1994	Foundation of TechniKrom, Inc. in Illinois, USA (which later became a part of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess)
1997	Official opening of Planova Plant in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan
1998	- Establishment of the first Planova representatives in Europe and United States of America - Hosting of the first Planova Workshop in Oslo, Norway
2000	- Opening of a new Planova filter assembly facility in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan (current Planova Assembly Fab 1) - Launch of Planova Leak Tester as the first automated integrity system for Planova filters
2001	Launch of Planova 20N virus removal filters that capture small viruses while accommodating needs for higher flux
2003	- Establishment of Asahi Kasei Planova Europe S.A. in Brussels, Belgium (which later became Asahi Kasei Bioprocess Europe S.A./N.V.) - Launch and installation of the first large scale biologic chromatography systems and columns by TechniKrom, Inc. (which later became a part of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess)
2004	Opening of a new regenerated cellulose hollow fiber spinning facility for Planova filters in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan (current Planova Spinning Fab 1)
2005	- Establishment of the Long Island Branch within Asahi Kasei Medical America, Inc. to support Planova business in the United States of America - Launch and delivery of the first mid-scale solid phase flow through oligosynthesizer by TechniKrom, Inc. (which later became a part of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess)
2006	Launch of IBD inline buffer dilution system by TechniKrom, Inc. (which later became a part of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess)
2009	- Launch of Planova BioEX, high capacity virus removal filters for biopharmaceutical processing - Opening of a new Planova regenerated cellulose hollow fiber spinning facility in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan (current Planova Spinning Fab 2) - Acquisition of TechniKrom, Inc.
2010	- Establishment of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess, Inc. (which later became Asahi Kasei Bioprocess America, Inc.) - Opening of a new Planova filter assembly facility in Oita, Japan (current Planova Assembly Fab 2) - Launch of BioOptimal MF-SL microfilters for clarification and harvest of biopharmaceutical processing
2011	- Launch of Asahi Gold Particle Test System (AGPTS), an automated integrity test system for Planova filters - Opening of Cologne Technical Center in Cologne, Germany to promote interactive learning experience of bioprocess technologies
2012	- Launch of Virus Filtration Controller, an automated virus filtration system for Planova filters - Establishment of a local support office for Planova in China as a part of Asahi Kasei (China) Co., Ltd. (which later became Asahi Kasei Bioprocess (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (AKBC))
2013	- Establishment of a local support office for Planova in India as a part of Asahi Kasei India Pvt. Ltd. - Establishment of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess Deutschland GmbH to support Bioprocess equipment business in Europe
2018	- Release of a brand new website experience at planova.ak-bio.com!
2019	- Opening of Massachusetts Training Center in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA to promote interactive learning experience of bioprocess technologies - Acquisition of ViruSure Forschung und Entwicklung GmbH (Headquarters: Vienna, Austria), which provides biosafety testing services for pharmaceutical manufacturers
2021	- Commencing business of Asahi Kasei Bioprocess (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (AKBC) in China
2022	- Acquisition of Bionique Testing Laboratories LLC (Headquarters: New York, USA), which provides mycoplasma testing services for the biotherapeutics and life-sciences industries