Single-use processing solutions spanning both upstream and downstream applications are being embraced by the biopharmaceutical industry. The advantages of the single-use approach to industrial cell culture versus traditional stainless steel and/or glass bioreactors has resulted in the recent commercialization of several single-use bioreactors at small (3–15L), intermediate (50–500L) and large scales (>1000L). Recent innovations are combining the features of conventional bioreactors with the ease-of-use benefits associated with single-use technology for the optimization of mammalian cell growth and recombinant protein expression. This article will provide a detailed characterization of the single-use Mobius® CellReady 3L Bioreactor capabilities as compared to a glass bioreactor, in terms of CHO cell growth, mixing, and volumetric mass transfer coefficients (kLa) for oxygen…
Tag: <span>process development</span>
This article proposes a “design space” structure for using Quality by Design (QbD) to develop processes and control strategies for developing and manufacturing biopharmaceuticals…
The cell therapy industry is positioned to make major changes in healthcare and disease treatment. The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) recently reported on the robust state of the industry and identified that revenue from cell therapy products grew from $460 million in 2010 to $1.3 billion in 2013. There are currently more than 40 commercially available cell therapy products with indications ranging from cardiovascular to cancer and non-healing wounds. The pipeline for these therapies is also expanding. ARM reports nearly 270 trials underway (Phase 1 through Phase 3). Another 58 projects are in the research stage and 245 in pre-clinical. Adding to this total, there are 77 industry-sponsored cell-based immunotherapy trials. Cell therapy represents a very different approach to treatment when compared to small molecules or many biologics. As such, regulatory authorities are evolving and adapting their approach to help ensure patient safety and efficacy of these innovative and complex therapeutics. A recent decision by regulatory authorities in Japan allows for an accelerated pathway for approval. This presents a tremendous opportunity for the industry, but at the same time, exerts tremendous pressure on developers to rapidly and efficiently characterize their products and processes in order to take advantage of such accelerated pathways. This article provides an overview of current regulations for cell-based therapies in the United States (US), European Union (EU), and Japan, and considerations for working successfully within these frameworks. It also describes a structured approach to process development that can help achieve accelerated timelines…
Efficient bioprocess characterization is essential for both regulatory compliance and commercial viability of biologics. Traditional approaches using resolution III/IV screening designs followed by response surface methodology are time-consuming, costly, and not always effective in identifying the important experimental effects. Definitive screening designs (DSDs) represent a novel class of three-level screening designs that can simultaneously evaluate main effects and quadratic relationships. While DSDs are increasingly used in bioprocess development, practical implementation guidelines remain limited. This case study bridges this gap by introducing a model-based framework to identify critical process parameters (CPPs) and optimize operating ranges for robust biologics production using plasmid DNA (pDNA). Minimal 14-run DSDs evaluated six input parameters and successfully identified CPPs and optimal operating ranges. This approach reduces experimental requirement by >50% compared to traditional designs, providing an efficient and economical strategy for bioprocess characterization and optimization.
This study assessed a novel statistical approach using space-filling designs (SFDs) and self-validating ensemble modeling (SVEM) machine learning to efficiently identify key process factors using recombinant adeno-associated virus type 9 (rAAV9) gene therapy manufacturing as a case study. Based on risk assessment of parameters that may impact rAAV9 production, we have evaluated six process parameters using 24-run SFDs generated by the JMP statistical software. SFDs are a new class of design of experiment (DoE) created with the objective of covering the entire design space as completely as possible; this in turn allows more accurate modeling of complex response surface behavior typically found in bioprocesses.
In the past 20 years, mammalian cell lines have been utilized to produce many viral veterinary vaccines. Cell lines such as baby hamster kidney (BHK)-21, Vero, and Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) are widely used because they help facilitate shorter manufacturing lead times and tighter process controls. As compared to other biotech products, viral vaccine manufacturing processes present some specific constraints linked to the cell substrates used. With the global veterinary vaccine market value predicted to be almost $7 billion per year by 2021[2], to remain competitively priced as well as profitable, bioprocess scientists are under pressure to develop methods for faster and more cost-efficient cell culture production. This has led to a shift from the use of expensive, two-dimensional T-flask and roller bottles to single-use, stirred tank bioreactors with microcarriers, or the adaptation of attachment-dependent cell lines such as BHK-21 for suspension culture. This requires time-consuming optimization and scale-up development experiments, which are real drawbacks. However, utilizing automated, single-use mini bioreactors as a scale-down model can enable more efficient use of time and optimization of media, feed, and culture conditions to de-risk upstream process development. In this article, single-use, mini bioreactors are evaluated to determine if they are geometrically comparable to benchtop bioreactors (both glass and single-use vessels) and pilot-scale, single-use bioreactors for effectively modelling mammalian cell culture at 2 L and 50 L scale…
Many laboratories have utilized cell-free systems or prokaryotic systems designed to produce biological molecules with single polypeptide chains, limited folding requirements, and without glycosylation. The yeast systems are used to generate glycoproteins; however, their glycosylation profiles are vastly different from those of mammalian cells. Without significant glycoengineering, the yeast-produced recombinant glycoproteins may be unsuitable as therapeutic molecules. As such, the use of mammalian cells is still the preferred method to produce complex biological molecules…
In order to move product development forward, the majority of biotech companies and academic institutions involved in cell-based therapies need new facilities in order to scale up production capabilities and comply with evolving regulatory requirements. Some institutions choose to use a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) to benefit from established expertise while others support their clinical development programs with their own dedicated production facility. The main challenges in establishing a dedicated pilot-scale production facility are described hereafter…
In today’s biopharmaceutical pipeline, monoclonal antibodies are a predominant modality for a broad range of clinical indications, including inflammatory disorders, oncology, and infectious diseases. More than two dozen antibody-based products are commercially available. In 2004, six of the 12 new biopharmaceutics that gained approval in the United States and Europe were antibody-based products. Most antibody therapies require high doses over a long period of time, which requires large amounts of purified product per patient. Therefore, manufacturing capacity to meet the demands of antibody production is a real challenge. It is desirable to have highly productive and consistent manufacturing processes. In addition, speed to market is critical to deliver health benefits to patients quickly and to achieve business success…
In the last few years, we have seen many biotech products approved by FDA. These products have gained public awareness because of their ability to treat several debilitating diseases with very minimal side effects, and thereby impact the quality of life for many people. As a result, the biotech industry is constantly in the news for its successes and programs to develop new therapeutics for many unmet medical needs. Immunomedics, Inc., a New Jersey biotechnology company, recently completed an expansion project that included new bioreactor manufacturing suites and support laboratories. Building on the company’s existing headquarters site and fully integrating the new capacity into the existing operational facility, the project spanned two years and was completed in 2003…