Bracco Imaging has upgraded its Geneva manufacturing facility as the company moves to scale production of its microbubble technology designed to streamline cell‑therapy manufacturing.

The Italy‑based pharmaceutical group said the modernization will enable clinical‑grade GMP production of its streptavidin‑conjugated, lipid‑based microbubble platform—a technology positioned as a more efficient alternative to the magnetic beads that have dominated cell‑selection workflows for four decades.

Many cell‑therapy developers rely on magnetic beads for cell enrichment, a process that involves multiple steps and can introduce regulatory and quality risks. Bracco says its microbubble system can isolate and activate specific cell subtypes in a single step, potentially reducing manufacturing complexity for cell‑therapy modalities that have struggled to scale.

“This additional investment in our Geneva facility marks an important milestone in our mission to provide best‑in‑class cell selection and activation solutions to the cell and gene therapy industry,” said Sophie He, Bracco’s Vice President, Cell Therapy. “By modernizing our GMP manufacturing capabilities, we are not only increasing our capacity to serve a rapidly growing market but also ensuring that our partners and customers can rely on the consistent quality, scalability, and regulatory compliance that advanced therapies demand.”

The site upgrade includes automated compounding systems, new purification technologies, and an open Restricted Access Barrier System—equipment intended to strengthen aseptic operations and support larger‑batch production. Bracco said the improvements will also enhance process monitoring and internal quality controls. The company noted that teams across manufacturing, QA, QC, and biology worked jointly on the development and engineering effort.

“Our teams have already demonstrated strong technical expertise with this platform,” said Thierry Bettinger, Director of Bracco Research Center Geneva. “These upgrades allow us to scale production while maintaining rigorous quality standards as we prepare for GMP‑compliant manufacturing.”

Bracco’s Geneva R\&D site has held Swissmedic GMP certification for nearly 30 years. The company said the facility enhancements align with evolving global GMP expectations and will support ongoing nonclinical studies as well as eventual scaled production of ancillary materials used in advanced cell‑therapy workflows.

Commercial‑grade access to the GMP‑manufactured microbubble product is planned for mid‑2027.