Univercells and Repligen Collaborate to Bring Real-Time PAT to Bioreactors
The partnership will see the integration of a real time glucose monitoring platform into a bioreactor range, eliminating the need for manual testing of nutrients and improving data resolution.
Bioprocessing solutions provider, Univercells Technologies, and bioprocessing-focused life sciences company, Repligen, are collaborating to enable real-time monitoring of viral vector and vaccine biomanufacturing. The partnership, announced in a July 9, 2025 press release (1), will see Repligen’s MAVEN platform be used for the real-time monitoring of glucose and lactate in Univercell’s scale-X bioreactors for adherent cell culture processes.
“This collaboration brings real time process analytical technology (PAT) to our scale-X bioreactors, eliminating manual nutrient testing and significantly increasing data resolution,” said Marie Jourdan, Director of Product Management at Univercells Technologies, in the company press release (1). “With more frequent and automatic measurements we can feed data into our Skaia vision application software model for an even more accurate estimation of cell growth.”
The MAVEN platform has been designed to monitor and control glucose and lactate concentrations during cell culture and fermentation without requiring the removal of any media volume from the bioreactor. Through this automated monitoring system, it is possible to optimize media and develop feeding and control strategies more easily. Additionally, the platform allows users to detect and react to process changes as often as every two minutes and up to 720 glucose-lactate data points per day.
“Compatibility of technologies is critical to commercializing advanced therapies,” added Wolfgang Kuennecke, VP, Bioanalytic, Enzymatic Analyzers from Repligen, in the company press release (1). “In this alignment, we have combined MAVEN and the scale-X bioreactors via a custom diffusion manifold so that developers can expand their toolbox simply. This integration helps developers to concentrate on the needs of their cells and create the optimum process conditions for their growth.”
Repligen acquired the MAVEN platform, along with other desktop bioprocessing analytics platforms, from 908 Devices in March 2025 (2). Through this acquisition, Repligen has strengthened its differentiated PAT portfolio for its biopharmaceutical customers.
“We are really excited to onboard the 908 bioprocessing team and the four differentiated upstream PAT technologies that are commercialized,” said Olivier Loeillot, President and Chief Executive Officer at Repligen, in a press release about the acquisition (2). “[These technologies] are the perfect complement to our downstream analytics portfolio and will enable Repligen to further penetrate a broad set of modalities and offer analytics solutions across the entire bioprocess workflow. This asset acquisition is a true win-win for both organizations, and a significant step forward for Repligen as our customers increasingly embed digitization technologies in their production processes.”
“Repligen’s leadership in commercializing innovative solutions that advance bioprocessing is a great fit for our novel desktop devices and our bioprocessing team. I wish them continued success,” commented Kevin J. Knopp, CEO and Co-founder, 908 Devices, in the press release (2). “Going forward, 908 Devices will continue to advance chemical detection at the point of need with our handheld analytical devices in vital health and safety applications.”
References
Univercells Technologies. Repligen Corporation & Univercells Technologies Partner to Enable Real-Time Monitoring of Viral Vector and Vaccine Biomanufacturing. Press Release, July 9, 2025.
Repligen. Repligen Purchases Bioprocessing Analytics Portfolio from 908 Devices. Press Release, March 4, 2025.