"Avantor Commits to Supporting Next-Generation Bio Ecosystem Across Asia"
[Interview] Avantor Benoit Gourdier EVP, Bioscience Production
South Korea Leads Evolution of Bio Industry…Seeking Active Opportunities for Technological Cooperation in Cell & Gene Therapies and Next-Generation Biopharmaceuticals
[MedigateNews] Founded in 1904, Avantor is a global life sciences company supplying essential products and services to customers in the life sciences and advanced technology industries. Recently, Avantor established an Innovation Center in Korea and is collaborating with biopharma companies across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to accelerate therapeutic development through customized bioprocessing solutions. To further strengthen collaboration with local customers and partners, Avantor Korea relocated its headquarters office, reflecting Avantor’s continued investment commitment in the Asia-Pacific region.
Benoit Gourdier, Executive Vice President of Biopharma Production at Avantor, said: “Korea is uniquely positioned to lead Bio evolution with the right combination of speed, quality and ecosystem. To fully realize this potential, the industry should continue to invest in global partnerships, talent upskilling and harmonize regulatory frameworks to accelerate global access.”
He added, “Avantor is a proud partner to many leading biopharma companies from Korea supporting its journey with our local presence, global expertise, and commitment to innovation and collaboration. Together, we can help shape the future of biopharmaceuticals on a global scale.”
In an interview with MedigateNews during his visit to Korea to commemorate the office relocation, Gourdier shared Avantor’s perspectives on the Korean market and how it collaborates with local biopharma companies pursuing global drug development.
Gourdier holds a master’s degree in biotechnology from Polytech Clermont University in France. He previously served as Vice President of Bioprocessing and Head of APAC at Merck KGaA, and as Senior Vice President & Global Head of BioReliance Contract Testing Services at Millipore Sigma. At Avantor, he oversees the biopharma portfolio, manufacturing, R&D, NuSil, electronic materials, and engineering services, as well as Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) functions.
Providing Differentiated Value with End-to-End Solutions Enhancing Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Efficiency and Quality
Q. For Korean readers, could you introduce Avantor as a company?
Avantor is a global leader supplying mission-critical products and services to customers in life sciences and advanced technology industries. Our portfolio includes high-purity chemicals, silicones, and fluid handling technologies, which are critical raw materials in the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, semiconductors, and next-generation technologies.
Avantor is recognized for its trusted brands—such as J.T.Baker, NuSil, MasterFlex, and VWR—built on a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and regulatory compliance. Serving over 300,000 customer locations across more than 180 countries, Avantor delivers tailored solutions that drive efficiency and innovation across every stage of research, development, and production.
Through its reliable partnerships, global supply chain, and extensive distribution network, Avantor ensures customers receive essential materials in a timely and stable manner. This accessibility supports continuous innovation and helps customers bring breakthrough therapies to market more efficiently.
Q. What value and differentiation does Avantor’s technology bring to the Korean market?
Avantor delivers differentiated value through end-to-end solutions that improve biopharmaceutical manufacturing efficiency and quality. Our high-performance raw materials, advanced buffer management solutions, and scalable single-use technologies are designed to support the complex production of next-generation biopharmaceuticals.
By minimizing contamination risks, enhancing process flexibility, and shortening time-to-market, Avantor enables Korean biopharma manufacturers to meet global quality standards while maintaining operational agility.
Q. Avantor is also known for offering innovative solutions in cell and gene therapy. What solutions can Korean companies leverage?
Avantor provides innovative upstream solutions for cell and gene therapy production. For example, J.T.Baker Cell Lysis Solution and J.T.Baker Endonuclease are designed to optimize viral vector production by improving cell lysis and DNA impurity removal. The Cell Lysis Solution, a biodegradable alternative to Octoxynol-9, can be used directly without pretreatment, efficiently supporting AAV release while reducing foaming and viscosity. The Endonuclease breaks down residual DNA and minimizes aggregation, streamlining harvest processes, increasing yields, and enabling sustainable, large-scale biopharmaceutical production. These products provide powerful solutions for advancing Korea’s gene therapy industry.
With rising demand for monoclonal antibodies, next-generation vaccines, and personalized therapies for metabolic and rare diseases, Avantor continues to invest in high-purity raw materials and scalable production technologies. This helps Korean companies accelerate development and commercialization of advanced therapies.
Buffer management, one of the most labor-intensive steps in bioprocessing, is another area where Avantor supports Korean manufacturers. With batch size, volume, and schedules varying across processes, speed and flexibility are critical. Avantor’s J.T.Baker Direct Dispensing system enables hydration, mixing, and inline dilution, helping customers achieve efficient, on-site manufacturing.
Avantor also supplies GMP-grade Ready-to-Use and Ready-to-Hydrate buffers from its global manufacturing centers, including those in the Asia-Pacific region. These external buffer solutions reduce internal staffing burdens, minimize variability, increase batch consistency, accelerate clinical entry, and optimize facility space. For companies scaling viral vector production or optimizing upstream and downstream processes, Avantor’s buffer management technology delivers efficiency, quality, and speed—key capabilities demanded by Korea’s rapidly growing biotech ecosystem.
Establishing an Innovation Customer Support Center in Yongin and Strengthening Supply Chain & Distribution Capabilities Across Asia
Q. How does Avantor view Korea’s strategic position in the global biopharma market?
Korea is emerging as a leading nation in the era of “Next-Gen Bio,” characterized by faster, more precise, and smarter expansion. Backed by strong government support, world-class biopharmaceutical manufacturers, and leadership in cutting-edge fields such as cell and gene therapy, Korea plays a central role in the global bio ecosystem and is solidifying its position as a leader.
We highly value Korea’s leadership in next-generation bioprocessing on the global stage. With strengths in research, digital innovation, and a streamlined regulatory environment, Korea offers an ideal ecosystem for collaboration and growth. Avantor is proud to support Korea’s innovation and production capabilities in biopharmaceuticals, standing at the center of this transformative journey with our partners.
Q. What are Avantor’s mid- to long-term investment plans or expansion strategies in Korea and Asia?
Avantor is fully committed to supporting the Next-Gen Bio ecosystem across Asia, including Korea. One of our most meaningful milestones is the establishment of the Avantor Korea Innovation Customer Support Center in Yongin. This facility supports optimization of purification processes for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, offering on-site technical assistance, process improvements, and training for domestic and regional teams.
Recently, Avantor relocated its Korean headquarters to strengthen collaboration with customers and partners while simultaneously expanding supply chain and distribution capabilities across Asia. A prime example is the construction of an integrated manufacturing and distribution hub in Singapore, a strategic investment to better support the rapidly growing biopharmaceutical industry in the Asia-Pacific region.
Q. What forms of collaboration does Avantor pursue with Korean biopharma companies and institutions, and what opportunities is it seeking?
Avantor collaborates with Korean biopharmaceutical and CDMO companies, as well as research institutions, to address large-scale manufacturing challenges in high-growth fields such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), biosimilars, and gene therapies. Leveraging expertise in high-purity raw materials, customized single-use systems, and integrated workflow solutions, Avantor helps accelerate drug development and improve manufacturing efficiency.
In addition, Avantor actively seeks opportunities for joint innovation and technical cooperation to strengthen Korea’s capabilities in cell & gene therapies and next-generation biopharmaceuticals.
