| The production of active pharmaceutical ingredients using biotechnological processes, including genetic engineering, is a young, dynamically developing branch of the industry.
The biotechnological process steps of synthesis (fermentation), processing and high-purification (down-stream processing) of active substances differ considerably from the chemical syntheses. The technological solutions are as innovative and new as the branch of industry is. With the Biotechnology, a completely new area of dimensioning in process engineering and plant design has been generated now shaping a whole generation of engineers.
As from the beginning of the growing importance of the industrial scale application of biotechnology in the European pharma industry, Linde-KCA-Dresden has played a pioneer role. The biotechnology demands an extremely close connection of product and plant development. Linde-KCA-Dresden was prepared to cope with this trend. That way, Linde-KCA-Dresden cooperated in the process development for the production of Hepatitis-B-Vaccine.
Our engineers have gained experience in planning of biotechnological plants, in particular gene technological plants that are characterized by the key criterion sterility beginning from processes based on yeast and bacteria up to processes on the basis of animal cell cultures modified by genetic engineering.
Selected references |
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Example 1
Cell culture plant for production of MAB |
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Client |
| F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG |
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Location |
| Basle / Switzerland |
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Type of plant |
| New cell culture plant for production of monoclonal antibodies (MAB) |
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Product |
| Anticancer drug Avastin |
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Scope of work
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Project coordination |
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Concept design, basic design, detail design |
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Support in procurement |
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Engineering support during installation and commissioning |
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Commissioning |
| 2007 |
Example 2
Revamp of an Insulin plant

ClientNovo Nordisk A / S
LocationKalundborg / Denmark
Type of plantPlant for the final Purification of an Insulin Analogue (PIA)
ProductRecombinant insulin analogue
Production processInsulin purification
Scope of work
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Detail engineering |
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Procurement |
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Construction management |
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Commissioning |
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Qualification |
Planning period2006 / 2007
Example 3
Biotechnological plant for the production of EPO

ClientRoche Diagnostics GmbH
LocationPenzberg/ Germany
Type of plantNew cell culture plant on a scale of 5.000 l
ProductEPO (Erythropoietin)
Scope of work
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Concept design |
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Basic design |
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Detail design |
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Support in procurement |
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Design support during construction |
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Qualification support |
Commissioning2005
Example 4
One of the world's largest biopharmaceutical capital investments - Wyeth BioPharma Campus Dublin

ClientWyeth Medica Ireland
LocationGrange Castle Campus, Dublin / Ireland
ProductENBREL® Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Type of plantThe world's largest biopharmaceutical campus. Multi product campus with 3 separate facilities for
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Drug development |
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Drug substance |
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Finished products |
as well as QA/QC and infrastructure
Scope of work
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Consulting during Integrated Construction and Validation (ICV) |
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Work on Acceleration program, introduction of shift work up to 24/7, de-bottlenecking |
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Set-up of overall real time tracking system for all ICV activities |
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Improved control of execution |
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Risk reduction |
Planning period2003 / 2004
Example 5
Insulin plant

ClientAventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH
LocationFrankfurt (Main) / Germany
Type of plantGeneral planner for design and construction of the plant for the production of insulin glargine (trade name Lantus®)
ProductRecombinant insulin analogon with depot effect
Production processBiotechnological fermentation
Scope of work
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General planner for design and construction, engineering „Lump sum“ |
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Basic and detail engineering, procurement (on behalf and on account), civil and construction, commissioning, qualification |
Start-up2002
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Further references |
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Vaccines |
| Planning of a new plant for the biotechnological production of three vaccines for GlaxoSmith Kline Biologicals Kft. in Gödöllö (Hungary), 2003 |
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Recombinant coagulation factors |
| Planning of a plant for the production of the pharmaceutical ingredient in high-cell-density perfusion cultures of BHK cells and purification of the glycoprotein for the Bayer AG in Wuppertal (Germany), know how and technology transfer from production and R&D into design basis, conceptual design for all disciplines, 2001 |
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