VelaLab’s 15 years anniversary

15 years of tailor-made assays and customer-oriented development 

VelaLabs was founded as “Vela pharmazeutische Entwicklung und Laboranalytik GmbH” as a management buyout 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 already GMP-certified and implemented also 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.

Looking for a new partner to grow VelaLabs was acquired in 2016 by Tentamus Group. Tentamus is now internationally acting with more than 90 laboratories in 23 countries. With this decision VelaLabs was growing and it is 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.

Over the recent years VelaLabs always invested in the state-of-the art technologies and services such as ECL technology (MesoScaleDiscovery), growing with an PBMC network and a certificate on cell-based assays, as well as latest equipment for SPR testing. Along with that new multi label readers and flow cytometry with qualified evaluation software.

Automation and digitization 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 focused laboratory groups – (1) cell based assay group (CBA), (2) ligand binding assay group (LBA), (3) physico-chemical methods group (PCM), and (4) sterility/microbiological group (MIBI). These groups are supported by the QC team taking care of e.g. IT-systems and material/sample management.

For the Microbiology / Sterility lab, the former well established 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.

To round up the package, 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 with valuable 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 located in the first floor and – due to the growth – the second floor was acquired and renovated for more office space.

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 digitization and further investments in sustainability in the future.

Digitization 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 growth and company developments possible. Therefore we would like to take the opportunity to thank them for their loyalty, trust and passion. Without our highly qualified and motivated colleagues, we are able to implement and improve all the systems in operations and to successfully grow the business so much over the last years.

About VelaLabs: 

VelaLabs (founded in 2006) is a global, GLP/GMP certified and GCLP-compliant contract laboratory that provides analytical characterization services for pharmaceuticals, including proteins, biosimilars, hormones, monoclonal antibodies and peptides. With broad expertise in customer-specific analytical method development and analysis and a highly motivated team, VelaLabs supports its customers from research to preclinical & clinical phases to product commercialization and market release in Europe.

Since 2021, VelaLabs, equipped with a cleanroom newly built in 2020, has been offering the entire spectrum of microbiological services with a focus on the pharmaceutical sector. VelaLabs, based in Vienna (Austria), has been part of the Tentamus Group since 2016.