Drugs are being developed and manufactured every day to help patients around the world who suffer from diseases.
In fact, AGC is also helping in the shadows.
Question1Does AGC make drugs?
No, AGC does not make drugs.
We work as a partner of pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce and supply active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, and intermediates, which are substances that are used in the process of developing a drug.
These companies are called CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations) and play a major role in ensuring a stable supply of high-quality drugs to the market.
Question2What is the role of CDMO?
The global pharmaceutical market continues to expand steadily.
This is due to the growing population of elderly people and the increasing demand for advanced medical care in many countries. This trend is expected to accelerate in the future.
In response to these market conditions, the market for AGC's CDMO business is steadily expanding. Drug manufacturers, who want to focus more on research for new drugs, are increasingly looking for reliable CDMOs to help them divide their labor, rather than handle every step of the process in-house.
Question3How is medicine made?
There are two main groups of methods for creating substances that are the basis of medicines.
One is the synthetic medicine and agrochemicals, which uses chemical synthesis to create compounds. The other is the biopharmaceutical medicine, which uses biotechnology to produce proteins.
AGC uses organic synthesis to produce substances with simple molecular structures and biotechnology to produce substances with complex molecular structures (proteins).
These proteins are important.
Question4How are drug proteins made?
First, a gene with a written instruction to make a specific substance is incorporated into the cell. Then, by culturing, isolating, and purifying the cells, proteins that are the source of drugs can be produced.
The most common targets for gene incorporation are single-celled microorganisms or animal cells extracted from hamsters. Animal cells can produce proteins with more complex molecular structures due to their more complex cellular structure.
Question5What drugs does AGC help develop and manufacture?
Unfortunately, we cannot give you specific names, but here are a few examples.
For example, we have been asked by a pharmaceutical manufacturer to develop and manufacture a manufacturing process for a potential vaccine or therapeutic drug for a new type of coronavirus that has become a major threat to mankind due to the global spread of the virus.
AGC will continue to play a part in bringing a wide variety of medicines to the world for the benefit of patients by working together with various drug manufacturers.
Based in 11 locations around the world, including the U.S., Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, and Japan, AGC continues to assist in the creation of medicines today to ensure a high standard of quality and service that is consistent throughout the world.
