Behind the Scale-Up: From Cell Bank to Commercial Manufacturing

Sponsored by Agilent

In this video interview, Andrew Mitchell, an associate vice president of business development at Agilent Advanced Therapeutics, discusses how the company has evolved since Agilent’s acquisition of BIOVECTRA in September 2024. Mitchell explains that Agilent Advanced Therapeutics now brings together Agilent’s Colorado-based facilities, which specialize in oligonucleotides and guide RNA, with BIOVECTRA’s Canadian facilities, which focus on microbial fermentation and complex chemistry, positioning Agilent as both a laboratory equipment provider and a full-service CDMO.

Mitchell walks through why cell banking is a critical early step for biologics and advanced therapy programs, supporting production of recombinant proteins, fragment antibodies, insulins, and plasmid DNA, and explains how the company’s capabilities extend well beyond cell banking into oligonucleotide manufacturing, complex chemical synthesis, niche bioreagents, and highly potent APIs used in antibody-drug conjugates. He also addresses how customer needs have shifted toward shorter supply chains, greater flexibility, and speed as clinical programs grow more complex.

The conversation closes with Mitchell describing how Agilent Advanced Therapeutics supports clients at any stage of development, from early phase through commercial manufacturing, with an emphasis on long-term partnership. CDMO decision-makers evaluating integrated development and manufacturing partners will come away with a clearer picture of how Agilent Advanced Therapeutics positions itself across the biologics and advanced therapy supply chain.