Bionova Scientific® opens new pDNA facility in Texas to support rapidly growing biopharma industry

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 12, 2025--

Bionova Scientific ®, a full-service biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and subsidiary of global conglomerate Asahi Kasei, has announced the opening of a 10,000 square-foot state-of-the-art plasmid DNA (pDNA) development and production facility in The Woodlands, Texas.

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Located less than 30 miles north of Houston, Texas, the new facility designs, develops and manufactures research-grade pDNA materials to support the cell and gene therapy field. With the global pharmaceutical market anticipated to reach almost $3 trillion by 2033, Bionova Scientific has positioned itself to effortlessly accommodate the market’s rapid growth. Enabled by the new Texas facility, the company will expand its offerings beyond mammalian protein production and provide clinical to commercial-scale Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) production of pDNA by Q4 2025.

Plasmid DNA is a critical starting material for advanced therapeutics, including mRNA and viral vector-based cell and gene therapies (CGTs). Adding pDNA development and manufacturing services enhances Bionova Scientific’s established expertise in antibody and protein CDMO services, already offered via its recently expanded flagship facility in San Francisco’s Bay Area. Through these added services, Bionova is broadening its portfolio across biotherapeutic modalities to serve more customers.

This strategic expansion is not just about capacity, it’s about evolving alongside the next generation of advanced therapy developers and meeting their unique needs with the same quality, flexibility, and scientific rigor that have defined Bionova’s existing partnerships in protein development and GMP manufacturing out of Fremont, CA.

“Bionova added these highly sought-after pDNA capabilities in response to a persistent unmet need among the cell and gene therapy biopharma community. Completing this specialized facility on schedule is not only a milestone for our team, but a crucial step in ensuring our customers receive the reliable, timely support they need to meet their own deadlines,” commented Darren Head, President and Chair of Bionova. “We chose The Woodlands because of its proximity to a growing number of CGT companies, and its location provides Bionova with access to the rapidly expanding CGT ecosystem here in the U.S. By aligning our capabilities with the needs of the CGT sector, we look forward to building lasting partnerships that accelerate the industry.”

As a core growth driver within Asahi Kasei’s Life Science group, Bionova continues to scale its presence to meet the evolving needs of the biopharmaceutical industry. Backed by Asahi Kasei’s medium-term management plan, which prioritizes expansion across its virus filtration, CRO testing, and CDMO businesses, Bionova is positioned to lead in delivering high-impact solutions for next-generation therapies. The company’s ongoing investments in specialized capabilities underscore its role at the forefront of Asahi Kasei Life Science’s strategy.

To learn more about Bionova Scientific, visit https://bionovascientific.com/.

About Bionova Scientific
Bionova Scientific partners with innovators in the biologic industry to bring life-changing therapies to market with a dedication to quality and service. Founded in 2014 and acquired by Asahi Kasei Group in 2022, Bionova Scientific offers our client partners access to advanced technological platforms, and a strong commitment to quality delivered with scientific excellence across the entire lifecycle of your drug product. As an integrated CDMO, Bionova provides services that span discovery through cGMP commercial supply of complex therapeutic proteins and antibodies. Our experienced scientists bring proven expertise to overcome discovery to first-in-human development challenges and enabling efficient and easy scale-up. In 2025, Bionova expanded its capabilities with the launch of a dedicated plasmid DNA (pDNA) development and manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, further strengthening our position as a trusted partner in advanced therapy production. Bionova is a flexible and collaborative partner that has worked with leading biotechnology innovators from its new state-of-the-art facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit bionovascientific.com

About Asahi Kasei
The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 50,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Healthcare, Homes, and Material. For more information, visit asahi-kasei.com and ak-bio.com.

Research Forest in The Woodlands, Texas.

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Vote counting was underway Friday in Uganda’s tense presidential election, which was held a day earlier amid an internet shutdown, voting delays and complaints by an opposition leader who said some of his polling agents had been detained by the authorities.

Opposition leader Bobi Wine said Thursday he was unable to leave his house and that his polling agents in rural areas were abducted before voting started, undermining his efforts to prevent electoral offenses such as ballot stuffing.

Wine is hoping to end President Yoweri Museveni's four-decade rule in an election during which the military was deployed and heavy security was posted outside his house near Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after the vote.

The musician-turned-politician wrote on X on Thursday that a senior party official in charge of the western region had been arrested, adding there was “massive ballot stuffing everywhere.”

Rural Uganda, especially the western part of the country, is a ruling-party stronghold, and the opposition would be disadvantaged by not having polling agents present during vote counting.

To try to improve his chances of winning, Wine had urged his supporters to “protect the vote” by having witnesses document alleged offenses at polling stations, in addition to deploying official polling agents.

Wine faced similar setbacks when he first ran for president five years ago. Museveni took 58% of the vote, while Wine got 35%, according to official results. Wine said at the time that the election had been rigged in favor of Museveni, who has spoken disparagingly of his rival.

Museveni, after voting on Thursday, said the opposition had infiltrated the 2021 election and defended the use of biometric machines as a way of securing the vote in this election.

Museveni has served the third-longest tenure of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military, which is led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station, during the presidential election, in the capital, Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Election officials count ballots after the polls closed for the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

An election official holds up unmarked ballots during the vote count after polls closed for the presidential election, at a polling center in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A political representative speaks as he works to observe and verify the counting of ballots after polls closed in the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A supporter of leading opposition candidate Bobi Wine cheers while watching election officials count ballots, after polls closed at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)