Tides Europe 2026

Join us at TIDES Europe in Amsterdam, where we will be exhibiting with a dedicated booth #703.

Meet our experts on site and don’t miss our three scientific presentations, where we’ll share latest insights and innovations in peptide and oligonucleotide development and manufacturing.

Our presentations (all will be taking place on November 4, times tba):

1 – Title: Digital manufacturing in practice: Enabling efficient and compliant large-scale production

Ralph Koitz, Head of Digital Manufacturing & Data Analytics

Abstract: This presentation explores the implementation of digital manufacturing capabilities and automation, including MES, electronic batch records, and integrated process data insights, to enable efficient and compliant large-scale production. Focusing on the manufacturing outcomes enabled by this technology stack, we will share lessons learned in improving throughput, enhancing quality and reproducibility, and generating actionable process insights. We will also present practical perspectives on digital manufacturing as a core capability of our operations.

Bio: Ralph Koitz is Head of Digital Manufacturing & Data Analytics at the Swiss-based Bachem Group, a global leader in manufacturing of peptides and oligonucleotides. He has over 15 years of experience in data science, digital transformation, and chemical manufacturing. Currently, he drives the digital backbone for next‑generation API facilities – unifying MES, Historian, and advanced batch control to enable smarter, faster, and more scalable operations. Ralph focuses on implementing complex manufacturing processes and empowering operators through digital tools. He holds a PhD in computational chemistry from the University of Zurich.

2 – Title: A mild and sustainable platform for disulfide bond formation in peptide manufacturing using dehydroascorbic acid

Alexander Kleinsmann, Director R&D

Abstract: Disulfide bond formation is a key step in the manufacture of cysteine‑containing peptides, yet established oxidation methods frequently rely on hazardous reagents such as iodine or hydrogen peroxide. These approaches can introduce safety concerns, material compatibility issues, limited scalability, and undesired side reactions including over‑oxidation and oligomer formation. We describe a new oxidation platform based on dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), the oxidized form of vitamin C, as a mild, selective, and sustainable reagent for disulfide bond formation. The method supports efficient oxidation under aqueous conditions and is compatible with both high‑concentration in‑solution processing and an integrated on‑column implementation during preparative HPLC purification. DHA‑mediated oxidation shows a consistently favorable impurity profile and avoids common side reactions observed with conventional oxidants, even for peptides with limited solubility or high aggregation propensity. The DHA‑based platform simplifies process design by enabling higher working concentrations, reducing unit operations, and allowing oxidation to be integrated into existing purification workflows. The use of a non‑hazardous, vitamin‑derived reagent improves operational safety and equipment compatibility while significantly lowering process mass intensity and solvent consumption. Together, these features support robust scale‑up and align peptide manufacturing with modern sustainability expectations, making the technology well suited for both late‑stage development and commercial production.

Bio: Alexander Kleinsmann is an organic chemist by training and focuses on technology and process development for peptide manufacturing at Bachem’s Swiss site. He earned his PhD in the group of Prof. Boris Nachtsheim at the University of Tübingen, working on cyclic dipeptides and peptide‑based supramolecular systems. Since joining Bachem in 2015, he has contributed to the development of scalable, robust, and sustainable platforms for peptide synthesis and purification used in late‑stage development and commercial production. As Director of R&D VI, he works with cross‑functional teams on process development and characterization for large‑scale peptide manufacturing, including the evaluation and implementation of advanced technologies such as MCSGP for downstream processing.

3 – Title: Stirring Things Up: Integrating Stirred-Bed SPOS and Enzymatic Ligation for Industrial Oligonucleotide Production

Abstract: The rising demand for therapeutic oligonucleotides requires scalable, efficient, and more sustainable manufacturing solutions. Stirred bed technology (SBT) for solid‑phase oligonucleotide synthesis (SPOS) introduces a novel reactor and mixing concept that eliminates the flow‑related inhomogeneities of conventional packed‑bed systems. Continuous stirring ensures uniform reagent distribution, improved mass transfer, and robust performance across resin types. SBT SPOS is fully compatible with state of the art downstream and hybrid manufacturing concepts, including enzymatic ligation and advanced purification strategies such as MCSGP. This seamless integration of chemical synthesis and enzymatic steps creates a powerful manufacturing platform. Overall, SBT SPOS provides a highly efficient, scalable, and future‑proof manufacturing platform, enabling sustainable industrial oligonucleotide production at metric‑ton scales.