Posted on November 03, 2023 by Aldevron

Innovating Every Day: Advancing Aldevron’s Processes and People

I joined Aldevron in 2019 as Vice President of Manufacturing Operations after having spent 30 years working in a variety of pharmaceutical and medical devices roles, from operations to engineering – and I was excited to bring that experience to bear as we position the company for its next phase of growth. Aldevron has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to innovating manufacturing processes to support next-generation biotechnology advances, and we are putting the pieces in place to be able to continue that trend well into the future.

Aldevron’s focus on innovation began in the early days, when, despite operating out of a small lab at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, its founders were able to stay ahead of the curve in providing services to drive the development of genomic medicines such as cell and gene therapies and vaccines.

Now we are enhancing our innovation capabilities, both in Fargo and Madison, Wisconsin. This year we responded to the growing demand for mRNA services by adding lipid nanoparticle (LNP) encapsulation and aseptic fill-finish services in Fargo. We believe synthetic biology will be a game-changer going forward, so in Fargo, we are building out the infrastructure to be able to support innovation in that field.

In Madison, we have greatly enhanced our capabilities in protein development. Our recent renovation there included doubling the size of our innovation lab, which now occupies a significant footprint on the third floor of the building.

Working with partners that complement our capabilities has been key to Aldevron’s growth – and being part of Danaher is a huge advantage in that effort. For example, through a collaboration with Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), Aldevron is able to offer a full range of CRISPR gene editing products, including CAS9 nucleases and guide RNA.

As we look forward to our next 25 years, we are building our capabilities in custom process and analytical development. We recognize that our clients’ needs don’t always fit perfectly with an existing platform. Therefore, we work hand-in-hand with clients to customize solutions that meet their needs, from the early stages in the lab, to pilot testing and through manufacturing. I believe this is the future of the industry: Custom process and analytical development will be essential for transforming early-stage discoveries into the products that will best serve patients.

One major advantage Aldevron has been able to offer customers is our people. Our strong reputation in the industry has allowed us to attract talent from across the country to Fargo and Madison, including employees who are experts in project management, product strategy, client relations, manufacturing, quality control, supply chain and more. And it’s a key aspect of our culture to offer our employees opportunities for growth. For example, a scientist who comes in at the early-research stage, where processes are mostly manual, can gain automation skills and graduate up to the next level.

Even as we grow our footprint, both domestic and international, we will hold onto the midwestern culture that makes Aldevron special. We help our coworkers and clients, we help our neighbors – we all work together to tackle challenges and develop opportunities.

Vijay Surapaneni
VP Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain