Fujifilm : and HORIBA Co-develop High-Sensitivity Inline Raman Measurement System for Real-Time Monitoring of Cell Culture and Purification in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing (Fujifilm)

TOKYO and KYOTO, June 16, 2026- FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Representative Director: Teiichi Goto) and HORIBA, Ltd. (President: Masayuki Adachi) today announced the co-development of a high-sensitivity inline Raman measurement system^*1 that enables continuous, real-time monitoring of component concentrations directly from bioreactor and process equipment during cell culture and purification in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. When this system is used to control purification processes in antibody drug manufacturing, antibody yield improves by approximately 10%^*2 compared with conventional UV-Vis-based process control methods^*3.
Fujifilm will exhibit this inline Raman system at the BIO International Convention to be held in San Diego, USA, from June 22 to 25, 2026.

Biopharmaceuticals are medicines produced using biological systems such as cells or microorganisms, based on biologically derived materials, and they are advancing into diverse and increasingly sophisticated modalities, including antibody drugs, as well as cell and gene therapies. These therapies are used to treat a wide range of diseases, such as cancer and immune-related disorders, and the market is growing at an annual rate of approximately 9%^*4. In the manufacturing process of biopharmaceuticals, slight variations in process conditions-such as oxygen concentration in cell culture media and purification processes-can significantly affect product quality and yield. As a result, identification and analysis of various components are conducted during cell culture and purification processes. However, conventional offline analytical methods require samples to be taken from cell culture media and purification solutions during manufacturing, making it difficult to monitor compositional changes in real time. Against this backdrop, there is an increasing demand for highly sensitive measurement technologies that can analyze the conditions inside bioreactor and process equipment in real time and accurately monitor changes in these conditions.

The system developed jointly by the two companies combines a high-sensitivity Raman spectrometer, a single-use probe with a superior optical throughput^*5, and Fujifilm's proprietary measurement algorithms to predict quality attributes. By integrating Fujifilm's optical design technologies, cultivated through its imaging and optical device businesses, and its expertise in biopharmaceutical manufacturing in its Bio-CDMO business with HORIBA's Raman spectroscopy technologies, known for their high sensitivity, precision, and stability, the companies have developed an inline Raman measurement system that achieves industry-leading sensitivity^*6. This enables high-precision, real-time monitoring of changes in the composition of cell culture media and purification solutions.

Going forward, the two companies will work together to verify the system towards real-world use. By improving manufacturing processes' monitoring and advanced data analysis technologies, the system is intended to contribute to the stable manufacturing of high-quality biopharmaceuticals, including antibody drugs, and the reduction of manufacturing costs.