Manipal, 28^th September, 2020.

ESCO ASTER PTE. LTD., Singapore is a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) focusing on offering vaccine-, bio-, cell- and gene-therapy development manufacturing services using primarily its proprietary Adherent Tide Motion Platform supplemented by single use suspension and fermentation, downstream bio processing and custom bioengineering equipment for client specific therapeutic applications.

This is the second Esco Aster collaborative research unit set up globally after the first Centre of Excellence (COE) with Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Singapore. Esco Aster hopes to continue to develop more collaborations in Asia Pacific in years to come to work on the booming cell and gene therapy.

MAHE is one of India's leading academic and research institutions. It has been granted Institution of Eminence status by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. MAHE’s strength in the areas of medicine, dental, pharmacy, allied health sciences, life sciences, regenerative medicine, engineering and other areas offer unique opportunities for Corporates, especially in the pharma and biopharma sector, to collaborate on various phases of product development.

“As per the agreement, ESCO Aster and MAHE will jointly establish a research unit at MAHE Manipal campus to carry out activities related to development and manufacturing in the biotherapeutics area. MAHE will provide cGMP compliant facility and necessary resources for carrying out the research activities.”

-Lt. General Dr. Venkatesh M.D., MAHE’s Vice Chancellor

“One of the focus areas for MAHE is to build and sustain relationship with Corporates to promote Corporate Affiliate Research Programs. I am hopeful that MAHE-Esco Aster partnership will be mutually rewarding and will lead to many more Corporate Research Units to be established at MAHE.”

-Dr. Raviraja N S, MAHE’s Director, Corporate Relations and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

“We are excited to sign this agreement with MAHE and we look forward for harnessing the skilled manpower and mentor pool available at MAHE to build our pipeline products and services to our clients. We envision showcasingthis research unit to our potential clients and collaborators and also utilizing it as a training centre.”

-Xiangliang Lin, Esco Aster Chief Executive Officer        

Through this agreement, both parties aim to facilitate research, development, and commercial plans and activities relating to stem cells or extracellular vesicles. Other fields of study with potential advantages to scientific discoveries are also welcome. This collaboration opens up potential breakthrough discoveries aiming to drive the biotherapeutics industry.

“We will recruit skilled manpower to the research unit to execute research projectsjointly developed by Esco Aster and MAHE. Esco Aster has agreed to provide all necessary training and equipment to carry out advanced research. They will send trained manpower from Singapore from time to time”.

-Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, MAHE’s Registrar