~ Delaware Lab Space Grants Helping Company Efforts to Increase R&D Work and Expand Manufacturing Operations in Newark ~
Wilmington, DE — Sepax Technologies Inc., a global chromatography company poised for significant growth over the next three to five years, has chosen Delaware as the site for its planned expansion and continuing emergence as a leader in the biological analysis and process purification field.
Since its founding by a University of Delaware alumnus in Delaware in 2002, Sepax has developed, manufactured and marketed liquid chromatography products – including bulk resins, prepacked columns and liquid chromatography systems – for more than 3,000 clients around the world. Sepax’s products cover all major chromatography modes and have been quickly gaining market share worldwide in recent years. As a result, the company has reached a critical point for the growth of its business.
Expansion will allow Sepax to increase its research and development work, build its manufacturing operations, continue contributing to the local economy and add a significant number of well-paying jobs in Delaware’s science and manufacturing sectors. Sepax currently employs 55 full-time employees, and the company has announced its intention to add 35 new full-time positions to its operations by the end of 2023.
“Sepax is a great example of how Delaware’s innovation ecosystem allows businesses to start here and grow here,” said Governor John Carney. “We are excited that Sepax, which started in the Delaware Technology Park, will be keeping their roots in Delaware as they expand and create good-paying jobs.”
Sepax is a longtime tenant of Newark’s Delaware Technology Park and is a member of both the Delaware BioScience Association and the Newark-based National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). Officials are eager for Sepax’s continued role within Delaware’s innovation ecosystem and for the company to grow its team and operations in its current location, which is in New Castle County.
“I am excited for our county to take advantage of the state’s Lab Space Grants through the expansion of Sepax Technologies,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “Sepax will be bringing good-paying jobs to our area and expand our lab space footprint, which is very much in need.”
Sepax Technologies Inc. is making a $2 million capital investment toward its growth and expanded operations. Supporting the company’s plans are grants that the company was approved to receive from the Delaware Strategic Fund by the state Council on Development Finance: a Jobs Performance Grant of $54,922 and a Delaware Lab Space Grant for $420,150.
Demand for “ready-to-go” laboratory space for growing companies whose work is based in wet labs – largely biology and chemistry companies – is extremely high throughout the United States. In 2020, Delaware approved its statewide lab grant program to address this issue and ensure that existing small companies can grow within the state and that the state can attract new businesses by increasing its inventory of much-needed ready-to-go lab space. The 2021-22 state budget includes $10 million for the program.
“Sepax Technologies Inc. is very grateful to be the recipient of grants from the Delaware Strategic Fund,” said Tingzhou Wu, general manager of Sepax. “With years of effort, Sepax has continued to grow, supporting our biopharma customers and their research in biologics manufacturing. We have been actively looking for lab space in Delaware to expand for years. With the tremendous help from Delaware Prosperity Partnership and Delaware Technology Park, the expansion supported by this grant will allow for an increase in important R&D research and strengthen our manufacturing capabilities. We look forward to this opportunity for continued growth in the State of Delaware.”
About Delaware Prosperity Partnership
Delaware Prosperity Partnership (choosedelaware.com) leads Delaware’s economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; to build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and to support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent. The DPP team works with site selectors, executives and developers focused on where to locate or grow a business and helps with reviewing potential sites, cost-of-living analyses and funding opportunities, including available tax credits and incentives. DPP advances a culture of innovation in Delaware, working with innovators and startups to spotlight and celebrate successes and connect them with the resources they need to succeed. DPP and its partnerships throughout Delaware support and advance the missions of companies of all sizes and sectors.
About Sepax Technologies Inc.
Since 2002, Sepax Technologies (sepax-tech.com), a Delaware, U.S.-based company, has been providing cutting-edge products and services for liquid chromatography (LC). Sepax specializes in the development and manufacture of LC analytical, preparative and process separation and purification columns, bulk resins and systems in a wide range of modalities, such as SEC, IEX, HIC, Affinity and RP. Sepax also provides LC services, including analytical testing, method optimization, purification, custom resin development and ligand immobilization. Certified to the ISO 9001-2015 standards, Sepax focuses on customer and market needs, and is continuing to expand its presence and supply chain around the globe in three business platforms: analytical chromatography, industrial purification and medical diagnostics.
