Tecan uses cookies to improve our website. By continuing to browse our website, you accept our cookie policy.

This content is available also in other languages

x

This content is available also in other languages

September 5, 2008 | Customer News

Tecan and the Monash Antibody Technologies Facility unveil the world’s largest custom monoclonal antibody production facility

A unique partnership between Tecan and the Monash Antibody Technologies Facility comes to fruition with the opening of a new state-of-the-art monoclonal antibody production system at Monash University in Victoria, Australia. This unique facility has the capacity to produce thousands of different monoclonal antibodies per year for use in research, diagnostics and therapeutic applications.

Maennedorf, Switzerland, August 2008: The new Monash Antibody Technologies Facility (MATF) was officially opened on August 6th 2008 at a ceremony attended by a number of important dignitaries from the Australian government, academia and the life science industry. The newly refurbished, two hundred square meter facility houses cutting-edge equipment, including 10 Freedom EVO® liquid handling workstations from Tecan, a global leader in laboratory automation and detection, and boasts impressive capabilities for high throughput production of custom-made, high-affinity monoclonal antibodies.

Michael Spiegel, deputy director of MATF, said: “In just one year, and with Tecan’s support, we have renovated a whole new space, brought in state-of-the-art, fully automated systems and have them already producing antibodies. This is now the largest capacity and probably the most sophisticated and technologically advanced custom antibody facility in the world. We already have 50 academic projects in the pipeline and we are members of the structural genomic consortium, an international pilot project for creating binding agents to all human proteins and protein binders.“

Alan Sawyer, Director of the facility, added: “We are finalizing several prestigious deals with companies and researchers from around the world, concerning the development of anywhere between two hundred and five hundred antibodies per year. This is truly an international facility.”

MATF, which is partially funded by the Victorian State Government, Monash University and the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, is a major step towards an extensive 2008 development program which further strengthens Monash University’s rising profile as a centre of excellence in the international medical research community. Gavin Jennings, the Victorian government minister for Innovation and Environment cut the ceremonial ribbon at the opening ceremony, and guests included Kim Carr, the federal minister for innovation, the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research at Monash University and Carl Severinghaus, Tecan’s Senior Vice President.

About Tecan

Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global supplier of laboratory instruments and solutions for the biopharma, forensic and diagnostic industries. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automation solutions for life science laboratories. Through its REMP subsidiary (www.remp.com), Tecan is the premier supplier of automated laboratory storage and logistics systems. Tecan's clients include pharmaceutical and biotech companies, university research departments, diagnostic laboratories and companies as well as forensics laboratories. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has production, research and development sites in both North America and Europe and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2007, Tecan achieved sales of CHF 414.4 million (USD 345.3 million; EUR 252.7 million). Registered shares of the Tecan Group are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (TK: TECN/Reuters: TECZn.S/Valor: 1210019).

For more information about Tecan, please contact:

Tecan Group Ltd.
Cornelia Kegele
Seestrasse 103
CH-8708 Männedorf

T +41 44 922 81 11
F +41 44 922 81 12
www.tecan.com

About Monash University

Monash University seeks to improve the human condition by advancing knowledge and fostering creativity. It does so through research and education and a commitment to social justice, human rights and a sustainable environment. The Monash Antibody Technologies Facility (MATF) is part of The School of Biomedical Sciences, the largest of three research nodes in the Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences. It has over 400 researchers, 285 higher degree research students and a research income of $43.5 million, plus an additional $5.6 million to support training research students. Monash’s 54,000 students study more than 160 undergraduate programs and over 500 postgraduate research and coursework programs across 10 faculties.

For more information about MATF, please contact:

Michael Spiegel
Deputy Director, MATF
T +61 437 190 162