Behind the Science: Meeting Complex Drug Development Needs

Michael Brotz thrives on transforming complex challenges into innovative solutions across a wide array of projects.

Brotz, the Director of Manufacturing, Science and Technology (MSAT) at AGC Biologics in Seattle, uniquely leads a team that bridges the gap between technical production, manufacturing and client relations to produce proteins for companies across the globe, helping pharmaceutical developers’ expectations meet technical execution.

AGC Biologics is a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that partners with a wide range of innovative companies to bring new therapeutics to the market. The company offers cell line and process development services and manufacturing from pre-clinical to commercial stages, and its collaborative approach ensures an efficient & successful transfer process. Coupled with passionate and driven personnel, AGC Biologics is at the forefront of drug production innovation.

“We are challenged with the task of fulfilling our clients’ dreams, and that’s what gets me excited,” Brotz said. “Give me a problem and I want to find a solution – that’s the engineer in me.”

In his specialized role, Brotz serves as a bioengineering leader who manages internal teams and client interactions. “Our team interfaces with clients to understand their needs and objectives and then translates their vision into our manufacturing process,” said Brotz. With a diverse skillset as a leading scientist and project manager, he turns innovative ideas into the desired manufactured molecules.

AGC Biologics stands out as a top CDMO by meeting companies at any stage in their biomanufacturing journey. With manufacturing sites globally, and a keen understanding of clients’ timelines and budgetary constraints, the company has the flexibility to develop any type of protein. Whether it’s a small company looking to bring their idea to life or a leading pharmaceutical player seeking to enhance their capabilities, AGC Biologics has the versatility to achieve their objectives.

“From monoclonal antibodies to fusion and recombinant proteins, we can develop any type of protein you need. Our flexibility is the biggest differentiator,” said Brotz. “We have projects that could start in Seattle and transfer to another site globally if needed. By offering a full suite of services and understanding our clients’ objectives, we can cover a diverse range of projects.”

Combined with AGC’s biomanufacturing flexibility, Brotz’s expertise in bioengineering and relationship-building equips him with a broad range of experiences he applies to fulfill partners’ visions. “I thrive off the unique variety of my work,” he said. “Collaborating with both early-stage and late-stage clients enables me to see projects at every stage of the manufacturing lifecycle, and I can then apply these learnings to new projects.”

AGC Biologics operates eight locations worldwide, showcasing its global presence with locations ranging from Copenhagen, Denmark to Yokohama, Japan. With more than 2,500 team members and 250 customers served, the company enables the development of life-changing therapeutics on a global scale. It also has invested in cell and gene technology to support this growing treatment type. Its Seattle campus serves as its global headquarters as well as its Center of Excellence for global formulation services, operating multiple cGMP manufacturing lines, and offering a variety of scales for mammalian and microbial biologics. The multifaceted HQ has 30 years of operational experience and employs the latest fed-batch and perfusion manufacturing processes to streamline cell development.

“Here in Seattle, we have stainless steel and single-use bioreactor capabilities for mammalian cell culture. That’s our bread and butter,” Brotz said. “We also offer process development services, including upstream, downstream and cell line development.”

For Brotz, the region’s standout factor has been the collaboration within the vibrant life science industry. “The biotech community in Seattle is incredibly tightknit, which is rare to see in a major metropolitan area. Companies here come together to advance the industry while helping refer talent to one another, benefiting individual careers as well as the collective life science ecosystem.” 

Ready to advance your biotech career in Washington state? Explore job openings at AGC Biologics here. Are you a developer seeking support on a project? Learn more about the AGC Biologics Seattle site.

Sponsored by Life Science Washington and AGC Biologics