The Problem, the Solution and Why It Matters

The Problem: Traditional bead-based chromatography is diffusion-limited. While effective for proteins and small molecules, it struggles with large biomolecules — viruses, plasmids, mRNA, exosomes and others that cannot access most of the pore volume. This makes purification slow, inefficient, and costly.

The Solution: At BCI, we developed the AXISFLOW™ platform: a monolithic chromatography medium with interconnected microchannels. Instead of diffusion, liquid moves through these channels by convection, enabling rapid and efficient purification even for the largest biomolecules. In essence, we remove the diffusion bottleneck — delivering purification that is faster, more scalable, and more cost- effective.

Why This Matters: The promise of advanced therapies is extraordinary, but their cost of goods remains a critical barrier to patient access. If purification cannot keep pace, many therapies will remain out of reach. AXISFLOW™ directly tackles this bottleneck — helping innovators cut costs, shorten timelines, and bring next-generation treatments to the people who need them most.

Breaking Beyond Beads

To appreciate the shift, consider how traditional chromatography works. Porous beads provide surface area, but molecules must slowly diffuse in and out of tiny pores. This design is efficient for small molecules, but for large biomolecules, diffusion is a roadblock.

AXISFLOW™ replaces beads with a monolithic solid phase — a sponge-like structure full of interconnected channels just a few microns wide. Instead of being forced into dead-end pores, liquid flows freely through these paths, carrying molecules across a vast surface area at high speed.

Think of it this way: A bead-packed column is like stacking oranges in a box, where liquid trickles only around the gaps. AXISFLOW™, in contrast, is like a sponge that liquid moves through the entire structure with ease. This is what makes convection the future of purification.

Innovation Starts with Imagination

Over the years, I have come to believe that innovation is too often held back by a lack of imagination.

Drug development has always advanced in step with our ability to measure. As soon as we gain new ways to quantify molecular properties or biological effects, we unlock new opportunities in design. Bioprocessing is no different.

Today, tools like advanced analytical testing and additive manufacturing allow us to imagine and realize entirely new purification approaches. What once required months and tens of thousands of dollars to prototype can now be tested within days. At BCI, these tools have been essential in developing and refining AXISFLOW™.

Imagination drives new ideas. Measurement and iteration make them real. Together, they open doors to the future of bioprocessing.

Building with the End-User in Mind

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that science alone doesn’t guarantee success. Many brilliant technologies fail not because they don’t work, but because they don’t solve the right problem for the end-user.

That’s why at BCI, we engage early with innovators and collaborators. We provide sample materials during process development so our partners can test, validate and adapt their workflows from the very beginning. This ensures AXISFLOW™ is applied where it delivers maximum value while avoiding costly rework or regulatory disruption down the road.

Ultimately, process development is not research for its own sake. It is about delivering safe, effective products to patients faster, at lower cost, and at higher quality. That means starting with the end-user in mind, every time.

Why Biotech Moves Slowly and How We Can Help

Our industry is famously conservative in adopting new technologies. Unlike consumer products, where multiple models can be released under one approval, every drug requires its own license. That makes changes expensive, time-consuming, and risky.

The best way to overcome this barrier is by integrating new technologies early in development. By adopting AXISFLOW™ at the start, companies can build purification strategies that scale with them — avoiding painful changes later, while gaining efficiency and lowering costs from day one.

Looking Ahead

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to be part of transformative moments: helping develop the first HIV and hepatitis C diagnostics in the U.S., building biotech companies in China and now pioneering purification innovation in Singapore. The common thread across all of these experiences is clear: Progress happens when science, engineering and customer needs align.

With AXISFLOW™, we aim to bring that alignment to the next generation of advanced therapies. By moving from diffusion to convection, we can make purification faster, more scalable, and more accessible — ensuring that therapies don’t just remain scientific achievements, but become realities for patients worldwide.

I am deeply grateful to the BCI team, and especially to Chervee, for the vision and drive that make this possible. Together, we are reimagining chromatography and shaping a future where efficiency truly exists in every channel.

Opportunities are everywhere. The challenge is to imagine them clearly — and the responsibility is to turn them into solutions that make a lasting difference.