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July 14, 2026

Evonik partners with evitria to accelerate early biologics development

  • New ready-to-use protein expression kit now available
  • eviCHO Expression Kit simplifies transient protein expression workflows and enables faster, more reliable protein production
  • Strengthens Evonik’s growth field Advance Precision Biosolutions

Evonik has partnered with global antibody expression specialist evitria to offer a ready-to-use transient protein expression kit based on CHO cells for biopharmaceutical research and development. Designed to enable faster, more reliable, and scalable protein production, the kit addresses key challenges in transient protein expression workflows. Through this collaboration, Evonik is expanding access to evitria’s expertise, while strengthening its own portfolio of precision biosolutions for biopharma customers.

“By combining evitria’s proven capabilities with our extensive biopharma experience, we are connecting our customers with best-in-class protein expression solutions. Our goal is to simplify processes, enable faster biologics development, and therefore further strengthen our position in the biopharma value chain,” said Guido Skudlarek, head of the Health Care business line at Evonik.

CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cells are widely used to produce proteins such as antibodies for biopharmaceutical applications. In early-stage research, scientists often use transient protein expression to produce proteins quickly for short-term studies, avoiding the time-consuming process of generating stable cell lines. However, early-stage work with CHO cells can be complex and time-intensive. The new eviCHO Expression Kit based on CHO-K1 cells simplifies this process by providing ready-to-use components and commercially proven protocols that enable faster and more consistent transient protein production. By reducing the need for troubleshooting, the kit streamlines laboratory workflows and helps researchers accelerate the development of new biologics.

Located in Zurich, Switzerland, evitria specializes in CHO-based transient expression of antibodies. The company brings extensive experience in the field, with more than 125,000 transfections performed and over 25,000 antibodies and antibody-based molecules successfully expressed and purified. evitria serves a global customer base across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia, ranging from academic institutions and emerging biotech companies to leading biopharmaceutical organizations.

“The eviCHO Expression Kit is a natural extension of our expertise in CHO-based transient expression,” said Stefan Schmidt CSO of evitria and the Atlas Antibodies group. “Together with Evonik, we are making it easier for customers to achieve consistent, high-quality results in their own lab.”

Evonik is strengthening the innovation pipeline of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies through its strategic focus on the growth field Advance Precision Biosolutions. The partnership with evitria marks a further step in expanding its portfolio of solutions for biomanufacturing. In 2025, Evonik also partnered with recombinant protein developer InVitria to broaden its offering with recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA). Building on more than 60 years of experience, Evonik provides a comprehensive portfolio of non-animal-derived, chemically defined, high-quality ingredients, including amino acids, dipeptides, lipids and surfactants, designed to enable the next generation of biomanufacturing.

Evonik: Leading beyond chemistry

Evonik goes beyond the boundaries of chemistry with its combination of innovative strength and leading technological expertise. The global chemical company, headquartered in Essen, Germany, is active in more than 100 countries and generated sales of €14.1 billion and earnings (adjusted EBITDA) of €1.9 billion in 2025. The common motivation of the approximately 31,000 employees: to provide customers with a decisive competitive advantage with tailor-made products and solutions as a superforce for industry, thereby improving people's lives. In all markets. Every day.

About Custom Solutions

The Custom Solutions segment focuses on innovation-driven, tailor-made solutions for customers in specific growth markets. These solutions include additives for coatings, adhesives and sealants, polyurethane foams and lubricants, catalysts, and ingredients for the cosmetics, cleaning and pharmaceutical industries. In 2025, the segment generated sales of €5.4 billion with around 9,500 employees.

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.