Experimental and computational characterization of mass transfer in high turndown bioreactors

Single‐use bioreactors (SUBs, or disposable bioreactors) are extensively used for the clinical and commercial production of biologics. Despite widespread application, minimal results have been reported utilizing the turndown ratio; an operation mode where the working range of the bioreactor can be e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biotechnology progress 2023-05, Vol.39 (3), p.e3330-n/a
Main Authors: Schlaich, Evan M., Thomas, John A., Kandari, Lakshmi, Tremml, Gabi, Khetan, Anurag
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
biologics manufacturing
Bioreactors
Cell culture
Cell growth
Cell lines
CFD
Free surfaces
Headspace
Mass transfer
Mathematical models
Monoclonal antibodies
Oxygen demand
scale‐up
single use
turn down ratio
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Summary:Single‐use bioreactors (SUBs, or disposable bioreactors) are extensively used for the clinical and commercial production of biologics. Despite widespread application, minimal results have been reported utilizing the turndown ratio; an operation mode where the working range of the bioreactor can be expanded to include low fluid volumes. In this work, a systematic investigation into free surface mass transfer and cell growth in high turndown single‐use bioreactors is presented. This approach, which combines experimental mass transfer measurements with numerical simulation, deconvolutes the combined effects of headspace mixing and the free surface convective mass transfer on cell growth. Under optimized conditions, mass transfer across the interface alone may be sufficient to satisfy oxygen demands of the cell culture. Within the context of high turndown bioreactors, this finding provides a counterpoint to traditional sparge‐based bioreactor operational philosophy. Multiple monoclonal antibody‐producing cell lines grown using this high turndown approach showed similar viable cell densities to those cells expanded using a traditional cell bag rocker. Furthermore, cells taken directly from the turndown expansion and placed into production showed identical growth characteristics to traditionally expanded cultures. Taken together, these results suggest that the Xcellerex SUB can be run at a 5:1 working volume as a seed to itself, with no need for system modifications, potentially simplifying preculture operations.
ISSN:8756-7938
1520-6033
DOI:10.1002/btpr.3330