USA — 3M, a renowned leader in biopharma filtration technology, has recently made a significant announcement regarding its commitment to supporting the rapidly growing field of biotech manufacturing.
With a substantial investment of US$146 million, the company aims to expand its capabilities in this area, paving the way for breakthrough therapies that bring hope to patients in need.
The investment will primarily focus on facility and equipment improvements, and it will also lead to the creation of 60 new full-time positions within 3M’s manufacturing facilities in Europe.
By making these strategic advancements, 3M aims to expedite the development and delivery of vital filtration equipment specifically designed for bioprocessing, biological, and small molecule pharmaceutical manufacturing applications.
This enhancement will empower biotech customers to continue innovating therapies used in the treatment of various conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers.
Filtration and purification play a crucial role in the production of biopharmaceutical drugs. Employing unique filter materials, this process effectively captures impurities while allowing the necessary drug substances to pass through.
Recognizing the significance of this technology, 3M’s investment underscores its dedication to customer-centric innovation in the healthcare sector.
Robert Befidi, President of 3M’s Separation and Purification Sciences Division, expressed the company’s commitment by stating, “Our investment further demonstrates 3M’s continued market leadership and ongoing commitment to customer-centric innovation in health care.
“Our technologies improve the lives of people all over the world, and we are helping biotech customers do more, faster, to advance their specialized medicines.”
3M takes pride in offering the most comprehensive range of depth filters for cell culture clarification in the biopharmaceutical industry.
Their Zeta Plus depth filtration technology, available in cartridge systems and sheets, plays a vital role in clarifying cell-derived protein therapeutic products on a global scale.
The global sterile filtration market is projected to experience remarkable growth, with an estimated value of US$15.3 billion by 2028, up from US$8.9 billion in 2023.
This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2028.
The demand for sterile filtration in the pharmaceutical industry serves as a major driving force behind this market expansion.
This increased demand can be attributed to the introduction of new biologics-based drugs.
As these biological medicines are often administered through infusion or injection, they require highly specialized manufacturing, storage, handling, and a tightly controlled, high-quality manufacturing and distribution network to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Consequently, the adoption of sterile filtration across the pharmaceutical sector has witnessed significant growth, contributing to the overall market expansion.
In 2022, the raw material filtration segment emerged as the second-largest and fastest-growing application segment in the global sterile filtration market.
Regulatory bodies’ focus on ensuring the safety of manufacturing processes has made raw material filtration a critical procedure.
Initiatives such as the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) from the FDA and the ensuing oversight of industry players have played a pivotal role in ensuring quality control of raw materials in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
This heightened scrutiny has become a major driving factor behind the growth of this specific application segment.
In recent times, 3M’s Healthcare unit has faced operational challenges stemming from a decrease in consumer spending.
Specifically, the Health Information Systems business has been a significant factor impacting the performance of the Healthcare segment.
During the first quarter of 2023, revenues from this unit experienced a decline of 5.6% compared to the previous year, according to Zacks Equity Research.
Despite these challenges, the Healthcare segment has managed to mitigate some of the adversities through organic sales growth in the medical solutions and oral care business segments.
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