VelaLabs celebrates 15th anniversary

From management buyout to international player

As an analytical partner for biotech and pharma companies, VelaLabs delivers expertise and laboratory analysis services throughout the whole drug development process.

Development

VelaLabs  was founded as “Vela pharmazeutische Entwicklung und Laboranalytik GmbH” as a management buy out end of 2006 and took over analytic and infrastructure of the former Novartis spin off Ingeneon.

From the beginning it has specialized in the characterization of biologics and early realized the potential of biosimilars.

Right after foundation, in 2007, VelaLabs was GMP-certified and implemented GCLP rules in 2009 to be able to conduct the sample analysis of clinical studies according to relevant guidelines.

Further milestones were followed by the first batch release testing of clinical material in 2011, and first market material in 2014 (G-CSF). VelaLabs is also registered at the FDA since 2018 and has a GLP certification since 2020.

In 2016 Tentamus Group – internationally positioned with more than 90 laboratories in 23 countries – acquired VelaLabs, perfectly fitting into the group’s  ‘closer-to-the-customer’ strategy based on local labs covering the full service portfolio along the chain of custody.

Until today VelaLabs introduced further analytical services such as ECL technology (MesoScaleDiscovery), being part of a PBMC network and a cell based assay cooperation, as well as latest equipment for SPR testing, and multi label reader with qualified evaluation software.

Automation and digitisation required investments in new systems like an electronic notebook (ELN) and electronic documentation system (eDMS).

The team grew to more than 80 employees organized in four laboratory groups – cell based assay group (CBA), ligand binding assay group (LBA)physico-chemical methods group (PCM), and Sterility/microbiological group (MIBI). These groups are supported by the QC support group taking care of e.g. IT-systems and material/sample management.

For the latter, the former LABH – Labor für Betriebshygiene was acquired in 2020 – enabling VelaLabs to offer the full range of microbiological services. In 2020 a new clean room was built, a very valuable asset for serving pharmaceutical companies with sterility testing under GMP regulations.

Furthermore, VelaLabs offers GxP storage facilities enabling long term stability studies and has a  proven track record in sample analysis for clinical as well as non-clinical studies. Different phases, indications, and technologies are used to provide the client valuable with data to e.g. PK (pharmacokinetic), PD (pharmacodynamic), immunogenicity profiling (ADA), and biodistribution.

In 2021 it was also time to expand physically and within the existing building with labs on the ground floor further offices in the first floor were integrated and the second floor was acquired and adapted.

Today, VelaLabs is an internationally active contract laboratory and trusted partner for pharma and biotech companies.

VelaLab’s vision for the future

The managing directors of the management board consisting of Klaus Hajszan, Head of Quality and Test Site Manager, Albert Lauss, Head of Operations, and Markus Roucka, Chief Business Development Officer explain their vision for the future: “we will expand our analytical portfolio steadily keeping an eye on the customer’s needs and attach particular importance to digitisation and further investments in sustainability in the future.

Digitisation will increase process efficiency and enable us to spend time freed up in the solution development for our customer’s analytical requirements as well as continuous training of our staff. Thus all accompanied by sustainability activities such as reducing lab waste or energy usage to minimize our ecological footprint .”

Furthermore in the coming years we will expand our analytical services into cell therapies and also continue the close exchange with research experts and customers to initiate and adopt new analytical services hand in hand with new requirements.

Our customers and employees have made these developments possible. So we take the opportunity to thank them for their loyalty, trust and passion. Without our highly qualified and motivated colleagues, it wouldn’t have been possible to implement and improve all the systems in operations and to successfully grow the business so much over the last years.

VelaLabs provides a broad portfolio of analytical services.

Read more about our analytical services HERE.

Contact us – we are looking forward to supporting your analysis needs

velabd(at)vela-labs.at  I   +43 189 059 7911

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