PHC Corporation Biomedical Business Division introduces its innovative LiCellGrow™ platform to streamline scalable cell expansion, enhance process visibility, and support high-quality cell and gene therapy manufacturing.
PHC Corporation Biomedical Business Division, a core subsidiary of PHC Holdings Corporation, has announced the launch of its innovative LiCellGrow™ cell expansion system for research use in Japan and select international markets. Headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, PHCbi continues to strengthen its global leadership in laboratory sample storage and advanced cell culture technologies with this latest addition to its life sciences portfolio. The introduction of LiCellGrow™ marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to enhance the quality, scalability, and cost-efficiency of cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing.
LiCellGrow™ has been specifically developed to address some of the most pressing challenges faced by therapy developers working in regenerative medicine and advanced biologics. The system enables real-time visualization of changes in cellular metabolism while automatically controlling culture conditions based on metabolic data. By integrating continuous monitoring with intelligent process control, LiCellGrow™ is designed to help researchers optimize cell expansion processes, improve product consistency, and reduce manufacturing losses.
PHCbi will officially showcase LiCellGrow™ at the 25th Congress of the Japan Society for Regenerative Medicine, taking place from March 19 to 20, 2026, at the Kobe International Exhibition Center in Japan. The event is one of the country’s leading forums for regenerative medicine research and innovation, bringing together scientists, clinicians, and industry stakeholders to explore the future of advanced therapeutic technologies.
Addressing Critical Challenges in Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing
Cell and gene therapy is rapidly transforming modern medicine by enabling highly personalized treatment approaches that leverage living cells and genetic material. These therapies hold tremendous promise for treating intractable diseases, including inherited genetic disorders and various forms of cancer. However, despite their clinical potential, CGT products are notoriously complex to manufacture.
Unlike conventional pharmaceuticals, which are typically produced through standardized chemical synthesis, CGT products rely on living cells that are inherently sensitive to environmental conditions. Even minor variations in nutrient supply, metabolic stress, or culture parameters can significantly affect cell viability, function, and therapeutic potency. As a result, manufacturers often face challenges such as inconsistent product quality, low yields, high production costs, and limited scalability.
To ensure consistent and reproducible outcomes, developers must identify and control critical process parameters (CPPs) and critical quality attributes (CQAs) during manufacturing. Continuous monitoring of cell metabolism—particularly glucose consumption and lactate production—provides valuable insights into cellular health and productivity. However, traditional methods typically require manual sampling, which increases contamination risk and interrupts the closed culture environment.
LiCellGrow™ was designed to overcome these limitations by enabling automated, real-time metabolic monitoring and culture control within a closed system.
Advanced Online Monitoring and Intelligent Process Control
At the core of LiCellGrow™ is PHCbi’s proprietary online monitoring technology, which continuously measures glucose and lactate concentrations in the culture medium. These two metabolic indicators serve as essential markers of cell activity and health. By tracking fluctuations in these parameters in real time, researchers gain direct insight into the metabolic state of cultured cells.
The system integrates this monitoring capability with automated culture control technology. When metabolic data indicates that nutrient levels are suboptimal or metabolic byproducts are accumulating, LiCellGrow™ automatically adjusts the culture medium at the appropriate time. This ensures that cells remain in an optimal growth environment without the need for manual intervention.
This innovation builds upon PHCbi’s electrochemical detection platform, which is backed by more than 30 years of expertise in glucose sensor development. By applying this established sensor technology to cell culture applications, the company has created a robust solution capable of delivering highly accurate and continuous metabolic measurements.
The ability to visualize and respond to cellular metabolism in real time represents a transformative advancement in CGT process development. Researchers can now identify optimal culture conditions more efficiently, improving cell quality, homogeneity, and overall productivity while minimizing costly batch failures.
Alignment with Quality by Design Principles
LiCellGrow™ also supports the pharmaceutical industry’s Quality by Design (QbD) framework, as outlined in the guidelines of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH Q8–Q11). Rather than relying solely on end-product testing, QbD emphasizes building quality into the manufacturing process from the earliest design stages.
By embedding real-time monitoring and automated control into the cell expansion workflow, LiCellGrow™ enables developers to scientifically define and maintain optimal process parameters. This proactive approach enhances reproducibility and supports the development of highly robust and scalable manufacturing strategies, which are essential for eventual commercialization.
Disposable, Closed-System Design for Enhanced Sterility
Another key advantage of LiCellGrow™ is its disposable, dedicated culture bag system. The easy-to-install single-use bags reduce the risk of cross-contamination and eliminate the need for repeated sampling to measure glucose and lactate concentrations. Because monitoring occurs continuously through integrated sensors, the culture environment remains fully closed and sterile.
The system is designed for compatibility with standard laboratory CO₂ incubators, meaning no specialized infrastructure investment is required. This practical design allows research laboratories and process development teams to integrate LiCellGrow™ seamlessly into existing workflows while maintaining high reproducibility.
Closed-system operation is particularly important in CGT manufacturing, where contamination risks can compromise entire production batches. By minimizing manual handling and maintaining strict sterility conditions, LiCellGrow™ contributes to safer and more reliable cell culture processes.
Supporting Long-Term Strategic Growth
The launch of LiCellGrow™ aligns with PHC Group’s “Value Creation Plan 2027,” which focuses on strengthening capabilities in diagnostics and life sciences. The company aims to expand its portfolio of technologies that improve efficiency and reduce production costs across CGT development pipelines.
LiCellGrow™ builds upon the success of LiCellMo™, a live-cell metabolic analyzer introduced in 2024 for research use. Leveraging insights gained from LiCellMo™, PHCbi has expanded its technological capabilities to include integrated culture control and automated optimization.
Looking ahead, PHCbi plans to broaden the LiCellGrow™ ecosystem between late 2026 and early 2028. Planned additions include filtered culture bags designed to enhance cell recovery rates, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) monitoring units, and dedicated consumables compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) standards. These enhancements are intended to facilitate the transition from laboratory-scale research to commercial-scale production, including advanced applications such as CAR-T cell therapies.
Corporate Background and Global Reach
Founded in 1969, PHC Corporation operates as a Japanese subsidiary of PHC Holdings Corporation (TSE 6523). The broader PHC Group encompasses several subsidiaries engaged in diabetes management, diagnostics, and life sciences solutions, including Ascensia Diabetes Care, Epredia, LSI Medience Corporation, Wemex Corporation, and Mediford Corporation.
PHC Holdings Corporation serves customers in more than 125 countries and territories worldwide, with consolidated net sales of ¥361.6 billion for fiscal year 2024. Through its Biomedical Business Division, PHCbi supports researchers and healthcare professionals in approximately 110 countries, providing laboratory equipment such as CO₂ incubators, cryogenic freezers, and advanced cell culture systems.
Driving the Future of Regenerative Medicine
Commenting on the launch, Chikara Takauo, Director and Head of the Biomedical Business Unit at PHC Corporation, emphasized that LiCellGrow™ offers therapy developers a new solution to longstanding challenges related to quality, cost, and scalability in CGT manufacturing. By integrating continuous metabolic monitoring with automated culture optimization, the system represents a meaningful step forward in enabling reliable and efficient production of advanced therapies.
As regenerative medicine continues to evolve, scalable manufacturing solutions will play a decisive role in determining how quickly innovative treatments can reach patients. With the introduction of LiCellGrow™, PHCbi reinforces its commitment to supporting the global expansion of cell and gene therapies and advancing the future of personalized medicine.
