Photo : An instructor at the BCC (left) explaining the drug purification process as part of one of the center’s industry-oriented training programs.

The Biofactory Competence Center (BCC) is like a Swiss army knife for the biopharmaceutical industry, both in Switzerland and further afield. As Ian Marison, founder and Director of the BCC explains, “There are very few structures like ours in the world and international demand for our services keeps on growing.”

The BCC, which is based in Fribourg’s blueFACTORY innovation quarter, has three main fields of expertise: training, technical consulting and modular system design. According to Marison, “There is a real talent gap in the biopharma industry, especially in Switzerland where the sector is extremely strong. Since the BCC opened in 2015, we have set up a ‘model factory’ where course participants benefit from training under real-life operating conditions, alongside their theoretical studies. Quite a few companies have already come on board, such as Pall Corporation and UCB Farchim, two multinationals present in the canton of Fribourg.”

The Center also works closely with Lonza, perhaps best known as the manufacturer of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. Speaking of the pandemic, the BCC proved its adaptability by developing and delivering a series of online courses, to great success, “from the United States to Singapore and also in Europe.” One of the standout themes of these virtual classes was gene therapy.

Continuous bioprocessing expertise

In terms of technical consulting, the BCC offers a vast range of services : from troubleshooting and process optimization through to the design of new infrastructures and beta-testing of specific types of equipment. According to the BCC director, the center’s continuous bioprocessing expertise is currently in high demand. As he explains, this is due to a desire on the part of its clients to improve quality, increase productivity and reduce costs.

Last but by no means least, BCC is the go-to center for the biopharmaceutical industry when it comes to the design of modular production systems. For proof, one needs look no further than its recent collaboration with Vifor Pharma, which ultimately went with a highly innovative solution. For Marison, “Both we and our regional partners are scaling new heights. In a highly competitive environment like Switzerland, Fribourg is successfully making a name for itself in the biotech sector.”