U-Medico
Equipping Labs with Boutique Services

Beyond vaccine research, the biopharmaceutical line has risen with an influential intensity fueled by R&D improvements, drug development, intensified bioprocesses, and emerging cell and gene therapy. These advancements are complex and come with the need to ensure quality and safety. This necessitates domain expertise and a fully equipped lab such as BSL-2 labs.

Like a cell’s response to a ligand, U-Medico, an analytical and research service provider, is catering to the biopharmaceutical niche for over 15 years with an emphasis on quality through their top-notch analytical services. U-Medico concentrates extensively on biophysical characterization and formulation development.

“Our unique expertise is in techniques like analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and hydrogen/ deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). We discuss with our clients and offer tailor-made solutions and new opportunities by approaching from various perspectives,” says Dr. Ayano Fukuhara, CEO of U-Medico.

U-Medico’s protein aggregates and particles analysis services include AUC service provided in three types of analytical ultracentrifuge systems—XL-I, XL-A, and Optima, one of their latest additions. U-Medico has extensive experience in characterizing complete, empty, and intermediate particles of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. In-depth training and prior experience are essential to carefully handle AUC, and U-Medico’s equally equipped workforce guarantees expert services.

Along with aggregates and particles analysis, U-Medico offers structure analysis for biophysical characterization services that includes HDX-MS, native MS, and of course conventional peptide mapping using mass spectrometry.

The company’s HDX-MS is used in the characterization of biosimilars and antibody drugs, analysis of protein-protein interaction, and rapid epitope determination for biopharmaceuticals. U-Medico’s new HDX-MS system is unique in that it only requires one-tenth the volume of samples than before to better meet client needs.

A thorough understanding of the client’s requirements is critical in U-Medico’s approach to providing services, which is why the company offers expert consulting services, distinguishing them as a research and analytics service provider. When a client approaches U-Medico for a specific service, such as peptide mapping and aggregation assessments required from regulatory agencies or even they don’t know what exactly to do, the company takes a consultative approach and examines the client’s needs throughout the engagement. This allows U-Medico to comprehend what the client requires and offer services accordingly.

Recently, U-Medico extended its services to include cell and gene therapy, recognizing the dramatic growth and demand for analytical skills and techniques in the field. Hosting these services is challenging as they are more sophisticated and complicated than compared to the case of biopharmaceuticals. But with a strong foundation built over years and the guidance of science based and industry experts like Dr. Susumu Uchiyama, U-Medico offers world-class analytical and quality testing services related to gene therapy.

Dr. Uchiyama is a primary player of U-Medico’s core team, who founded and is leading the company in the biopharmaceutical landscape. Dr. Uchiyama is the chief scientific officer at U-Medico and a professor of biotechnology in the graduate school of bioengineering at Osaka University. He is playing a prominent role in the development of cell and gene therapy, leading a major Japanese government project in the field.

Apart from cell and gene therapy, U-Medico recently branched out its services to formulation development. As an extension, it has strategic cooperation with Coriolis Pharma, a leading German company in formulation research and development. This scientific collaboration enables U-Medico to provide complete support for formulation development services.

Through this relationship, the company is also establishing a new door for consumers worldwide to access their top-tier biopharmaceutical services. Based on its collective experience gathered over years of services and research, U-Medico is the provider of choice for offering the highest quality results in the world for each sample they analyze.