Aton cites facility future proofing as key to CDMO success

It is critical to future proof an organization to meet changing customer demands, says CDMO Aton Bio.

In January, Shanghai Henlius Biotech launched contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Aton Biotech to initially serve the China market but with global ambitions. The CDMO is utilizing capacity and capabilities from its parent firm. Min Park, chief business officer at Aton, told BioProcess Insider at BIO “the facility has 48,000 L [of] bioreactor capacity” and the CDMO is responsible for manufacturing five commercial products. While Park acknowledged the firm’s success and expanding production capacity, he told the audience “At the same time, that capacity becomes limited as you grow the organization, and the demand grows as well.”

With this in mind, Park said it is significantly important for Aton to “keep on expanding, meeting that demand and future demand. But most importantly, it is always about future proofing the organization so that we are ready when the customer needs arise.”

Min Park spoke to at the BPI Theater at BIO in Boston.

Alongside having the capacity to meet customer demand, future proofing the organization also lies within creating value, which according to Park, is “created by experience.” He went on to say that “anybody can build a facility, anybody can invest. It is the people that actually bring the knowledge, the experience, and the know-how. And that is where the value is generated and created for customers.”

Overall, this outlook is how Aton Biotech was created. By using what Henlius “has created themselves […] we have separated the organization so that we are not an excess capacity player.”

Henlius broke ground on a third 130,000 square meter facility last year, the first phase will incorporate 36,000 L of biomanufacturing capacity comprising of up to eighteen 2,000 L single-use systems. A second phase is set to add 60,000 L of stainless-steel capacity, or four 15,000 L tanks, to come online in 2026.