Novasep to sell its chromatography equipment division to Sartorius

Novasep and Sartorius Stedim Biotech have signed an agreement regarding the proposed sale of Novasep’s chromatography equipment division.

This proposed transaction covers operations located on different Novasep sites employing approximately 100 people, the majority of whom work at the Pompey site in eastern France and some in the US, China and India.
Novasep’s chromatography equipment division comprises resin-based batch and intensified chromatography systems, and primarily focuses on high-pressure, multi-use applications for smaller molecules, such as oligonucleotides, peptides and insulin. Since 2018, Novasep and Sartorius have been collaborating in the joint development of an optimised system for a membrane-based, low-pressure chromatography that processes larger molecules more productively and that will be launched soon.

This announcement is aligned with Novasep’s Rise-2 strategy, which is focused on prioritising its core business. The proposed transaction is a major step for the development of the equipment business worldwide, based on the long-term expertise of Novasep’s employees and Sartorius’ strong position on this market segment. It is subject to works council consultation and the approval of all relevant regulatory bodies.

“This deal marks one of the first steps in our Rise-2 strategic programme to focus the group towards our core business”, said Dr Michel Spagnol, President and CEO, Novasep. “We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Sartorius team and believe it will be a great opportunity for the chromatography equipment business to fully deliver its potential and accelerate its growth under this new ownership.”

“I am pleased that we will intensify our successful collaboration with the Novasep team, soon to be under the Sartorius roof,” said Dr René Fáber, Head of Sartorius Bioprocess Solutions Division and Executive Board member. “The Novasep portfolio will perfectly complement our existing chromatography offering and allow us to provide customers with more options for their manufacturing processes. Efficient DSP has remained a challenge in our industry for years, and Sartorius is committed to helping accelerate and simplify this crucial step so that new drugs can be manufactured much more efficiently.”