Unique innovations for the medical industry

During the last few years, an international bioscience hub has emerged in the Oulu region. BioSilta Ltd., founded 2007, is an example of this development. The company was founded by the internationally recognized bioscientist Professor Peter Neubauer. It is a spin-off from the Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory (BPEL) of the University of Oulu´s Department of Process and Environmental Engineering. BioSilta has just launched EnBase^TM, a unique cell cultivation kit that gives researchers a bigger and better harvest than traditional laboratory methods. The company bases its entire operation on the research carried out by BPEL, which is the bioprocess core facility of Biocenter Oulu, the bioscience platform of the University of Oulu.

Better efficiency and lower costs

“Our contribution is a technology that yields up to 50 times more bacteria and 10 times more recombinant proteins than with conventional laboratory cultivation methods,´ Professor Neubauer says. The technology controls the release of nutrients to bacteria and thus guarantees a bigger and better cell harvest than standard shaken cultivations.

According to Professor Neubauer, the method can be automated and run by a robot, which makes it an enabling technology in genome sequencing, enzyme screening, and bioprocess development. “In addition, it makes the processes of screening the different compounds much faster. Together, this means faster production, better quality and lower costs for developing new medicine candidates, for example,´ Peter Neubauer says.

Excellent team

There has been a great deal of interest in BioSilta´s product and pilot projects are underway in more than 20 large and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies and research institutions around Europe. The company´s customers include several companies, research institutes and universities.

BioSilta continues to develop the use of enzyme and bio catalytic activities to advance cell culture technology across a greater range of product formats and bacteria. Neubauer says that the next challenge is to show that the company will deliver on its promises to customer.

“They key role in achieving that goal will of course be played by our brilliant team, which consists of researchers from the University of Oulu and specialists from elsewhere in Europe. The extremely motivated team is lead by Russell Golson, a highly experienced professional from Great Britain, who possesses the important marketing expertise,´ Neubauer says.

Biosilta can focus its full attention on its product thanks to the backing of Inveni Capital Life Science Fund, a Nordic-German venture fund investing in biotechnology and life science start-ups.