Fujifilm, Horiba Unveil New Inline Raman System

Fujifilm Corporation and Horiba, Ltd. have collaborated on developing an inline Raman measurement system that is designed to monitor biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes in real time. In an announcement, both companies announced their collaboration, sharing that their system demonstrated approximately a 10% improvement in antibody yield during purification compared with conventional ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy methods.¹

According to both companies, what industry challenge does their new instrument solve?

Currently, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, which encompasses antibody drugs, cell therapies, and gene therapies, is highly sensitive to process variability. Fluctuations in parameters such as oxygen concentration during cell culture or the ratio of target substances to impurities during purification can meaningfully affect both product quality and yield.¹

Manufacturers have traditionally depended on offline analysis, which involves removing physical samples from bioreactors or purification equipment for separate testing. This creates delays and limits operators’ ability to adjust to changing batch conditions in real time.¹ With the global biopharmaceutical market growing by roughly 9% per year, manufacturers face increasing pressure to improve process control and lower per-unit costs.¹

How does their inline Raman measurement system work?

This developed system uses three components in its operation: a Raman spectrometer from Horiba; a single-use optical probe developed by Fujifilm; and Fujifilm's proprietary measurement algorithms. Each of these components plays a key role in monitoring biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

Horiba’s spectrometer incorporates a noise-reduction design intended to minimize signal fluctuations caused by temperature changes, along with an automatic calibration function to counteract spectral drift during long-duration runs.¹

Fujifilm contributed a probe design that was optimized for biopharmaceutical environments and specifically engineered for high light-collection efficiency. Coupled with its algorithmic methods developed through its Bio-CDMO contract manufacturing operations, this combined system, according to the company, can achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio, which allow the instrument to detect weak Raman signals that conventional setups have historically struggled to resolve.¹

Fujifilm's measurement algorithm isolates characteristic wavenumber signatures associated with target compounds and impurities, then constructs predictive concentration models that update continuously during a process run.¹

How did the system perform in purification applications?

In purification applications for antibody drug manufacturing, the system's ability to distinguish antibodies from size variants, including aggregates and fragments, represents a functional advance over UV-vis methods, which measure total protein concentration without differentiating between molecular species. By identifying the precise moment when impurity levels remain within acceptable limits, the system enables operators to collect antibody fractions at optimal timing rather than applying conservative cutoffs that sacrifice yield.

In cell culture applications², the system can simultaneously identify and track multiple amino acids within culture media, giving manufacturers continuous visibility into compositional drift inside the bioreactor, which is a capability the companies say could help isolate the sources of batch-to-batch variability.

What impact will continuous inline data collection have on the industry?

For process development teams, continuous inline data collection could shorten development timelines by reducing the need for offline sampling between experimental runs.¹ Fewer manual interventions may also lower the risk of contamination and human error in sterile manufacturing environments.¹

According to both companies, this system can be used in other application areas besides antibody drugs, with potential relevance to cell and gene therapy manufacturing as process complexity and regulatory scrutiny in those segments continues to increase.¹

What are the next steps in the collaboration between Fujifilm and Horiba?

Fujifilm and Horiba stated in their announcement that they will continue to work together to validate the system for real-world manufacturing deployment. The system will make its public debut at the BIO International Convention in San Diego from June 22–25, 2026.¹ This will represent the system's first exposure to the broader industry audience.

References

1. Horiba, Fujifilm and HORIBA Co-develop High-Sensitivity Inline Raman Measurement System for Real-Time Monitoring of Cell Culture and Purification in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing. Horiba. Available at: https://www.horiba.com/int/scientific/resources/news/detail/news/6/2026/20260616-high-sensitivity-inline-raman-measurement-system/ (Accessed June 18^th, 2026).
2. Spectroscopy Staff, Using a New Raman Method for Real-Time Inline Cell Culture Monitoring. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/using-a-new-raman-method-for-real-time-inline-cell-culture-monitoring (Accessed June 18^th, 2026).