Case Study: CN Bio x LSG

Custom Media Manufacturing and Kit Assembly for Organ-on-a-Chip Systems

Introduction

CN Bio develops organ-on-a-chip technology used in drug discovery and development. The company partnered with Life Science Group (LSG), a UK-based contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), for the development and manufacture of bespoke media and supplements for its systems.

The collaboration began before the COVID-19 pandemic and has since grown into a long-term manufacturing partnership. LSG has scaled production from small batches to 20-litre volumes, manages the supply of products with tight expiry dates and assembles CN Bio's final end-user organ-on-a-chip kits.

The Challenge: Reliable Supply of Expiry-Sensitive Custom Media

Organ-on-a-chip systems depend on media and supplements that perform the same way from batch to batch. CN Bio needed a reliable CDMO that could make tailored formulations to its specifications and keep pace as demand for its systems grew.

Outsourcing was central to this. Rather than build and run its own media manufacturing and kit assembly operation, CN Bio wanted a partner to take this on, so its own team could stay focused on developing its organ-on-a-chip technology and supporting its customers.

Two practical issues made this demanding. First, several products had tight expiry dates, so stock had to be planned carefully to avoid both shortages and waste. Second, production needed to move from small batches to larger volumes without any loss of consistency.

Life Science Group's Role

LSG worked closely with CN Bio to develop and produce sample media and supplements to its specifications, then took them into routine manufacture. The work drew on LSG's experience in custom media and reagent manufacturing and in processing biological materials.

As volumes increased, LSG refined its manufacturing processes and quality control checks so that 20-litre batches matched the performance of the original small batches. All manufacturing was carried out under LSG's GMP-aligned quality processes.

To manage the tight expiry dates, LSG put structured stock control and batch planning in place, timing production so that CN Bio received in-date product when it was needed while keeping waste to a minimum.

LSG also assembles CN Bio's final kits: end-user organ-on-a-chip kits specific to CN Bio's workflows, ready to go to CN Bio's customers.

Key Outcomes and Achievements

• Consistent, tailored media and supplements supplied to CN Bio's specifications.
• Successful scale-up from small batches to 20-litre volumes, with quality maintained.
• Controlled supply of expiry-sensitive products, reducing waste and supporting on-time delivery.
• Finished end-user kits assembled to CN Bio's workflows, without CN Bio running its own kitting operation.
• A long-term partnership that has grown with CN Bio's requirements since before the pandemic.

Summary: LSG Products and Solutions

The CN Bio partnership shows how LSG supports biotech innovators that need specialist media manufactured reliably, at the right scale and to a defined quality standard. Relevant capabilities include:

• Bespoke cell culture media and supplement manufacture
• Scale-up from development batches to production volumes
• GMP-aligned manufacture and quality control
• Stock control and supply planning for expiry-sensitive products
• Kitting, labelling and packaging

Need a manufacturing partner for your custom media? Find out more about LSG custom manufacturing, browse our ready-made culture media, or send us a custom liquid enquiry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is organ-on-a-chip technology?

Organ-on-a-chip systems culture human cells in microfluidic devices that recreate key features of human organs. They are used in drug discovery and development to give more human-relevant data than many conventional models.

Why do organ-on-a-chip systems need custom media?

Each system and cell model has specific nutritional and supplement requirements, and small changes in media composition can affect cell performance. Custom media made consistently to a defined specification help keep results reproducible.

How does LSG scale up custom media production?

LSG moves formulations from small development batches to larger production volumes by refining the manufacturing process and applying quality control checks at each stage, so larger batches perform like the originals.

Can LSG assemble finished kits for end users?

Yes. LSG assembles final end-user kits to a customer's workflows, such as CN Bio's organ-on-a-chip kits, alongside manufacturing the media and supplements that go into them.

How are products with short expiry dates managed?

Through stock control and batch planning that time manufacture to demand, so customers receive in-date product when they need it and waste is kept to a minimum.