Founded in 1994, CellGenix produces and markets cell culture components, such as growth factors, cytokines and media in GMP quality for manufacturing cell and gene therapy products. The company is based in Freiburg, Germany; with a sales subsidiary near the biotech hub in Boston, Massachusetts. It employs around 70 people and generated sales of more than €20m ($23.75m USD) in 2020.
Sartorius is initially acquiring 51% of CellGenix, which has been privately owned until now, for around €100m ($118m USD) in cash via its subgroup Sartorius Stedim Biotech. The Göttingen, Germany headquartered company plans to follow this with the acquisition of the remaining shares in 2023 and 2026.
René Fáber, member of the Executive Board for the Bioprocess Solutions Division of Sartorius, said: "CellGenix has an excellent reputation on the market and brings in high technological expertise and considerable regulatory experience in one of the fastest-growing fields of the biopharma sector. Together, we will support our customers even better in fast-tracking their drug candidates efficiently through the various steps in the development of medicines so that innovative therapies can reach patients faster.”
Sartorius plans to expand the Freiburg site substantially and to establish it as a center of excellence within the group in the areas of development and manufacture of quality critical raw materials for the cell and gene therapy market.