At a corporate symposium held in San Diego, Helixmith Co. Ltd. and Genopis Inc. moved to launch a contract manufacturing business for plasmid DNA production. Key executives and leadership members of Helixmith and Genopis attended the symposium to declare the launch of CDMO service in second quarter of 2020 using Genopis' proprietary technology and the existing 500 liter reactor. Moving ahead, the company will establish additional smaller scale reactors (60-300 L, 6-30 L) with feasibility runs and start small volume production service in the second half of the year. While many contract manufacturing organizations have experience producing DNA for early-stage exploratory studies, few companies have the GMP capabilities to meet FDA requirements. Genopis has decades of hands-on experience producing GMP pDNA for both early stage and phase 3 clinical trials. Equipped with the right technologies and quality systems, Genopis' experience in and ability to efficiently execute GMP production for both clinical studies and future commercial purposes are key strengths. As the demand for plasmid DNA surges beyond the production capacity of current CDMOs, some large companies are attempting M&As or scaling up existing facilities to expand production. Alongside discussions with potential partners regarding strategic alliances and the use of its existing production capabilities, Genopis began upgrading its facilities in September of this year with the expectation of entering the CDMO space. This is also a timely decision for Genopis, as the company will complete production of VM202 plasmid DNA in February 2020, a product under clinical study by its parent company, Helixmith Co. Ltd. Using Genopis' current 500 liter reactor capability, Helixmith will secure VM202 pDNA required for its current clinical trials and regulatory needs for the next two years. Genopis will use the 500 liter reactor for its CDMO service and the smaller scale production line once it is established in mid-2020.