Quotient Sciences Announces Installation of World's First GMP Biofoundry-in-a-Box From Centillion Technology

Quotient Sciences recently announced the installation of Centillion’s proprietary Biofoundry-in-a-Box (BiaB), the first multi-product GMP platform technology for end to end RNA manufacture. BiaB is a modular, integrated, and automated RNA-micro factory which enables the end-to-end production of various RNA-based products, including messenger RNA (mRNA) and self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), and has the potential to significantly reduce the time it takes to bring RNA therapies to market.

The first of its kind, Centillion’s patented BiaB technology offers continuous flow-based manufacture and encapsulation of RNA, more flexibility with higher productivities at smaller footprints. It also enables larger quantities of RNA drug substance to be split and encapsulated in portions to create a series of RNA-LNPs for pre-clinical or clinical evaluation.

“We are excited to partner with Centillion Technology and install the world’s first GMP Biofoundry-in-a-Box at our Alnwick site,” said Paul Ryan, SVP and Head of Candidate Development at Quotient Sciences.

Gareth Jenkins, VP Science and Technology, added “This adoption of novel science and innovative technology demonstrates Quotient Sciences’ commitment to accelerating drug development, with the potential to transform the development and manufacture of RNA-based drugs. Centillion’s technology combined with Quotient Science’s drug development capabilities is set to revolutionize the way RNA medicines are brought to market. This signals our entry into the development and acceleration of RNA-based drug products, with flexible, on-demand manufacture of RNA-based drug products and capacity for up to 1 million doses from the same machine in 24 hrs. Together with Centillion, we now look forward to working with our customers to support the pre-clinical to clinical transition of their RNA-based development candidates to bring new therapies to patients faster.”

Prof. Harris Makatsoris, CEO at Centillion Technology Limited, also added: “The Biofoundry-in-a-Box is a significant advancement in RNA manufacturing. It is the key component of Centillion’s RNA-by-Design offering, for the delivery of regulatory ready, patient centric and equitable access to advanced therapies. The BiaB enables our mission of a robust response to unmet clinical needs for everyone, everywhere. The BiaB advantages over traditional methods of RNA manufacturing, include high throughput of high-quality pharmaceutical products, aligning with the rapid response needs of manufacturing accelerators as Quotient Sciences. It is efficient, flexible and cost-effective. Quotient Sciences is the first CDMO to successfully install and qualify the GMP Biofoundary-in-a-Box system. We’re delighted to be working with them to enable the development of new RNA-based therapies and accelerate the delivery of existing therapies to patients.”

Quotient Sciences has been collaborating with Centillion Technology since 2022 to guide and refine features of the Biofoundry-in-a-Box, supported by the Wellcome Leap R3 Program. Quotient Sciences worked with Centillion on operator usability and GMP guidance before the final system was delivered to Quotient Sciences’ Alnwick site in July 2024 to be installed and commissioned.

Quotient Sciences is a drug development and manufacturing accelerator providing integrated programs and tailored services across the entire development pathway. Cutting through silos across a range of drug development capabilities, we save precious time and money in getting drugs to patients. Everything we do for our customers is driven by an unswerving belief that ideas need to become solutions, and molecules need to become cures, fast, because humanity needs novel therapeutic solutions, fast. Quotient Sciences has been recognized as a multi-year winner of the CRO Leadership Awards in 2021, 2022, and 2024 and of the CDMO Leadership Awards in 2023. For more information, visit quotientsciences.com.

Centillion is a biotechnology company that specialises in accelerating drug discovery and development with its RNA-By-Design manufacturing platform. Centillion works with RNA innovators developing therapies or vaccines, and CDMOs to accelerate development pipelines from concept to the patient. We are breaking scientific and technological boundaries to pioneer the RNA era of human health.

Wellcome Leap builds and executes bold, unconventional programs, funded at scale. Programs that aim to deliver breakthroughs in human health over 5 – 10 years. Founded by the Wellcome Trust in 2020 as a US nonprofit with initial funding of $300 million, Leap programs target complex human health challenges with the goal of achieving breakthrough scientific and technological solutions. Operating at the intersection of life sciences and engineering, Leap programs require best-in-class, multi-disciplinary, global teams assembled from universities, companies, and nonprofits working together to solve problems that they cannot solve alone.

RNA Readiness + Response (R3), a $60M program jointly funded with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (“CEPI”), will develop ‘living’ RNA- based, distributed, and multi-product biofoundries that provide increased access to diverse biologics in non-emergency times and economically sustainable, state-of-the-art surge capacity in an emergency. Such a global network would support a 1,000 to 10,000-fold increase in the number of innovators developing diverse biologics as treatments for cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular conditions, and autoimmune diseases and would provide the capacity to produce up to 20B doses of RNA-based vaccines in a month, equitably, across the world during an outbreak.