In a significant move for the biologics sector Aragen Life Sciences officially launched CHOMax™ on January 9, 2026. This accelerated cell line development and manufacturing platform is specifically designed to shrink the traditional drug development timeline, moving standard monoclonal antibody programs from DNA to IND-enabling clinical supply in approximately 10 months.
The platform is the result of Aragen’s experience across 200+ CHO programs and is engineered to provide biotech and pharma partners with a royalty-free, predictable pathway to first-in-human trials.
The CHOMax™ Advantage: Speed and Scale
The primary goal of CHOMax™ is to eliminate “avoidable rework” by integrating typically siloed activities into a parallel, high-speed workflow.
- Industry-Leading Timers: The platform has demonstrated titers of 8 g/L at the clonal stage for many standard IgG programs, reaching up to 27 g/L under intensified process optimization.
- Integrated Timeline: Aragen targets the generation of a Clonal Research Cell Bank (RCB) in just ~16 weeks.
- Parallel Processing: CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls) activities, process development, and GMP readiness planning run simultaneously once lead clones are identified.
Platform Capabilities at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
| Molecule Formats | Standard IgG mAbs, Bispecifics, Trispecifics, and Fusion Proteins. |
| Regulatory Standards | Designed to meet global expectations including FDA, EMA, and PMDA. |
| Financial Model | Royalty-free; innovators retain full ownership of the cell line without backend fees. |
| Manufacturing Scale | Supported by single-use bioreactors from 50L to 2,000L (with expansion to 5,000L). |
| Specialized Variant | CHOMax™ with Fut∞KO—engineered for glycoengineering to enhance therapeutic potency (ADCC). |
Global Infrastructure
Aragen operates this platform through its global biologics network, primarily anchored by its R&D and manufacturing campuses in:
- Morgan Hill, California (USA): Specialized in cell line development and discovery.
- Hyderabad (India): Aragen’s global headquarters and integrated manufacturing hub.
“CHOMax™ takes uncertainty out of early biologics development. By combining a proven CHO host lineage and time-tested workflows… we generate sustainable value for our customers.” — Ashu Tandon, Chief Commercial Officer, Aragen.
