22 Acquisition International - Research & Development Awards 2022 Jul22340 Best Biotechnology R&D Company - Portugal Antibodies are big business in North America, but Europe has surprisingly few options available to them. The team at SICGEN was founded with the intention of turning things around, producing high quality antibodies at competitive prices in the heart of Portugal. The team’s success has pushed them into new territory, so we took a closer look at the firm to find out more. ounded in 2009, SICGEN has gone from strength to strength over the last decade. Using the latest that technology has to offer, the team has established itself as a leading producer of polyclonal antibodies and antibody-related products and services. The demand for the team’s products has seen them used in several Life Sciences research areas, expanding to include nearly 300 products. The primary use of antibodies has been in research, with the SICGEN team providing polyclonal antibodies for leading national and international institutions, including universities, research institutes, pharmaceutical manufacturers and biotechnology distributors worldwide. The main markets are in North America, Europe and the Far East. From humble beginnings in Portugal, SICGEN has become world-renowned for its efforts. The team’s antibodies come from an unlikely source, namely goats. Turning to this natural source has allowed the team to increase the amount produced per animal keeping production quality up and costs down. The use of cutting-edge technologies throughout the process such as recombinant proteins produced in laboratory for immunisation and affinity purification has gone a long way to making this dream happen. Needless to say, the team’s high quality products have been used in numerous research projects, and the resultant scientific papers produced mentioning the team have gone a long way to advertise the business. This innovative streak has driven much of the team’s work, with SICGEN using R&D to explore new ideas and gaps in the market. The competitiveness of the industry means there is always the need to develop new antibodies and improve the ones that already exist. For many businesses in this sector, stagnation sets in swiftly, and stifles the development of those companies which do not innovate enough. There is, however, plenty of space that can be operated within. Numerous gaps in the market still have yet to be filled, and it’s those who are always looking forward that will fill them. The antibody industry is one that has expanded significantly over the last decade, with SICGEN often at the forefront of that incredible wave of innovation. Many customers have found that working with smaller companies such as SICGEN means they can gain a more flexible source of antibodies and a more individualistic approach that meets their specific needs perfectly. F The future for the industry looks bright indeed, driven by new ideas and bold propositions. The biotech industry is likely to see numerous advances in in-vitro technologies, using non-animal-based approaches for antibody generation. These new ways of working will offer greater versatility and reproducibility over animal immunisation, as well as alleviating ethical concerns. The world is always moving forward, but the secret behind the success of SICGEN is that the are always moving forward too. When SICGEN was first founded, it was in the wake of a major financial crisis that affected the whole world. Now, with difficult times ahead for all of us, the team stand as one of the most resilient in the industry, able to meet the unique needs of clients with ease. They will continue to develop, produce and market new antibody products, leading the way when it comes to providing solutions in niche areas. As a business that takes the time to understand what clients need, they are happy to have secured astonishingly high levels of success. Company: SICGEN Research and Development in Biotechnology Ltd Name: Jose Ramalho Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.sicgen.pt
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