Partner companies sign cooperation agreements with the Chongqing Institute of Biomanufacturing during the inauguration ceremony. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - The Chongqing Institute of Biomanufacturing was officially inaugurated recently as China accelerates efforts to commercialize biotechnology and reduce reliance on fossil-based industrial production.

Jointly established by the Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau, the Beibei District People’s Government and Southwest University, the institute brings together government support, local industrial resources and university research capacity. It will adopt a market-oriented operating model to better connect scientific research with industry demand.

The institute will focus on three priority sectors. In the food sector, it will support the development of Chongqing-flavored products, functional ingredients, and next-generation foods. In pharmaceuticals, it will work on natural medicines, bioactive substances, and cell-culture technologies to support greener production of drug ingredients. In chemicals, it will explore non-grain biomass resources from Sichuan and Chongqing to reduce reliance on traditional fossil-based inputs and support low-carbon transformation.

To support early-stage innovation, the institute plans to build a shared repository of microbial strains and cell resources, including engineered strains and cell resource collections. The repository is expected to provide core materials for research and development across its target industries.

A major focus will be commercialization. The institute will develop proof-of-concept and pilot-scale validation facilities to help move laboratory results toward industrial application. Equipped with modular systems, the facilities will support sample production, small-batch manufacturing, process verification, and parameter optimization. A testing service platform will also provide product testing, standards validation, compliance support, and equipment sharing, helping companies bring products closer to market.

The institute is seeking to connect with industrial users from the start. At the inauguration ceremony, listed companies and industry leaders signed letters of intent for cooperation, with the first group of partners including Anjoy Foods, Angel Yeast, Chenguang Biotech, Fuling Zhacai, Panpan Food, and Taiji Pharmaceutical Research Institute. The partnerships cover food processing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and related biomanufacturing applications.

Through these partnerships, the institute plans to support joint laboratories, targeted research projects, and faster commercialization of laboratory technologies. It aims to serve 30 to 50 existing industrial enterprises and incubate more than 30 high-tech companies, strengthening Chongqing’s emerging biomanufacturing ecosystem. 

(Lu Wangqing, as an intern, also contributed to the report)