South Korea-based CHA Biotech has launched Matica Biotechnology, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in the clinical and commercial production of cell and gene therapies. Plans call for a GMP production facility located in College Station, TX. Construction of the 25,000 square foot facility will begin in the fourth quarter this year and will be dedicated to the production of viral vectors used in cell and gene therapies, vaccines and oncolytic products. When completed, the facility will provide Matica Bio's clients with comprehensive viral vector development, manufacturing and analytical services centrally located in one of the fastest-growing biotech regions in the U.S.
 
Matica Bio will provide viral vector GMP manufacturing services for cell and gene therapies, vaccines, oncolytic vectors and other advanced therapy products. The GMP facility in College Station is designed for the rapid development, scale-up and production of Lentivirus and AAV products for clinical supply. Matica Bio offers process development, production, product release and stability assessment of viral vector products; together with the quality oversight and regulatory guidance necessary to ensure our clients' success.
 
Utilizing platform technologies and systems designed for the rapid transfer of production processes from pilot development into GMP manufacturing, Matica Bio is addressing the industry's acute need for fast and reliable scale-up of viral vector manufacturing to keep pace with the accelerated clinical development timeframes often associated with many breakthrough therapies.
 
“The promise of mitigating and in some cases curing diseases with very few current effective treatments has created a large demand for the production of viruses for advanced therapies,” said Byung Se So, chief executive officer, Matica Bio. “In a very short time, the industry has experienced a severe lack of global GMP cell and gene therapy production capacity that has been exacerbated by the race to develop and manufacture a Covid 19 vaccine. Matica Bio has recognized this need and has initiated the first phase of establishing a global framework to direct our client programs from the clinic to commercial production in a rapid, but cost-effective manner, while meeting the stringent quality requirements demanded by the world's regulatory agencies.”
 
Sang Hoon Oh, chief executive officer, CHA Biotech, said, "We are pleased to launch the global CDMO business with Matica Bio. CHA Biotech will provide full support and investment to help Matica Bio establish a competitive position in the U.S. Utilizing the global healthcare network of CHA Group and its links with local hospitals, R&D Centers and companies in the U.S., we believe Matica Bio will achieve differentiated synergies in the viral vector CDMO business."
 
Matica Bio's Texas facility is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2021 utilizing a bioreactor-based platform. Matica Bio's development and operations staff average over 10 years in the viral vector CDMO industry, bringing a wealth of knowledge and operational experience together to drive our clients' product development success.