Asahi Kasei Medical has launched the Planova™ FG1, a next-generation virus removal filter featuring higher flux for the manufacture of biotherapeutics, in October 2024.

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Planova™ FG1 (filter with effective surface area of 0.0003 m2 at left, 0.3 m2 at right) (Photo: Business Wire)

The bioprocess business of Asahi Kasei Medical comprises Planova™ virus removal filters and equipment used in the manufacturing process of biotherapeutic products such as biopharmaceuticals and plasma derivatives, biosafety testing services, and biopharmaceutical CDMO operations. It is one of the Asahi Kasei Group’s businesses to drive future growth.

Sold since 1989, Planova™ had its product lineup expanded in 2009 with the launch of Planova™ BioEX hydrophilic PVDF hollow-fiber membrane filters, and in 2022 with the launch of Planova™ S20N next-generation cellulose hollow-fiber membrane filters, meeting heightened standards for the viral safety of biotherapeutics around the world. The new Planova™ FG1 is expected to further contribute to improved productivity as demand for monoclonal antibodies and other biopharmaceuticals steadily grows by 5–10% per year.

Developed to maximize productivity in the process of manufacturing biopharmaceuticals, Planova™ FG1 provides high performance in terms of the filtration speed and robustness in virus removal capability. Its high flux is approximately 7 times that of Planova™ BioEX, enabling virus filtration time to be shortened, and it features less risk of virus breakthrough when the filtration process is suspended. Customer evaluation in the development stage of Planova™ FG1 confirmed high protein filtration and virus removal performance under various conditions using several solutions, even without a prefilter to remove aggregates. Planova™ FG1 is also compatible with standard cleaning in place (CIP) and sterilization in place (SIP) processes, allowing it to be used with many types of existing equipment for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Following the October 2024 start of mass production and shipment of smaller filters of Planova™ FG1, Asahi Kasei Medical will successively extend the product lineup with new filters having larger surface areas to support its customers in efficiently scaling up their process. By adding Planova™ FG1 to its broad lineup of products, Asahi Kasei Medical will further solidify the presence of the Planova™ brand among biopharmaceutical manufacturers and contribute to the safer and more efficient production of pharmaceuticals.

“Asahi Kasei Medical is thrilled to launch the Planova™ FG1 next-generation virus removal filter,” said Ken Shinomiya, President of Asahi Kasei Medical. “We look forward to continuing to support biopharmaceutical manufacturers with our broad and growing lineup of products that help them to safely and efficiently manufacture pharmaceuticals that patients can trust.”

For more information, visit https://planova.ak-bio.com/products_services/planova-FG1/.

For product inquiries, visit https://planova.ak-bio.com/campaign/fg1/

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 49,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

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