Covina Discovery Lab

It starts at the bench.

Theragent houses a dedicated Process & Analytical Science development center at our Covina Discovery Lab. This facility is the research and development hub where our scientists collaborate and problem-solve on the bench. Here we perform R&D for early- stage client product development; Process Science for early to late- stage optimization and scale up; and Analytical Sciences for method validation, product characterization, and lifecycle management. Covina is the gateway to partner early with our clients in your drug development pipeline, ultimately leading to efficient and effective lab tech transfer to our Arcadia cGMP facility.

Covina Discovery Lab Capabilities

  • Production of high titer viral particles for transduction: Lentivirus (2nd/3rd Generation, VSV-G Pseudotyped); γ-retrovirus (VSV-G Pseudotyped)
  • Quantification and validation of viral titers: p24 ELISA; Target cell transduction and flow cytometric analysis; RT qPCR
  • Cell line generation: transcriptional reporters; target cell lines for cytotoxicity assays; cloning; stable cell line development
  • Process development: primary T cell culture and engineering; PBMC and T cell isolation; T cell transduction; in vitro T cell expansion
  • Proof of Concept demonstration studies: Phenotype and CAR-expression; T cell activation; T cell cytotoxicity; cytokine release

Covina Facility Fast Facts

6,000 sq. ft.
laboratory space
2,000 sq. ft.
overflow warehouse space for non-GMP material
Pilot scale clean room
for pre-clinical GLP batch development

Lab Equipment

  • 3x BSCs(Class II A2)
  • 6 x CO2 Incubators
  • 30x 6’ Lab Benches
  • LN2 storage and cell bank
  • LCMS
  • Spectrophotometer
  • Miltenyi CliniMACS Prodigy®
  • HPLC
  • Live-Cell Analysis
  • Sepax C-Pro
  • FACS (Attune and Cytoflex)
  • qPCR, ddPCR
  • Barkey plasmatherm
  • Luminex flow cytometer
  • Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis

Interested in Clinical Production? See Our cGMP Facility