Allogeneic cell therapy bioprocess economics and optimization: Single-use cell expansion technologies

• Published in: Biotechnology and bioengineering 2014-01, Vol.111 (1), p.69-83
• Main Authors: Simaria, Ana S., Hassan, Sally, Varadaraju, Hemanthram, Rowley, Jon, Warren, Kim, Vanek, Philip, Farid, Suzanne S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; allogeneic cell therapy manufacture; Bioengineering; bioprocess economics; Bioreactors; Biotechnology - economics; Biotechnology - instrumentation; Biotechnology - methods; Cell Culture Techniques - economics; Cell Culture Techniques - instrumentation; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; cell factories; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; Cells; Cost engineering; Decision making; Demand (economics); Economics; Humans; microcarriers; Optimization; R&D; Research & development; Risk assessment; single-use cell expansion; stem cells; Stem Cells - cytology; Therapy; Transplantation, Homologous
• ISSN: 0006-3592; 1097-0290
• DOI: 10.1002/bit.25008

ABSTRACT For allogeneic cell therapies to reach their therapeutic potential, challenges related to achieving scalable and robust manufacturing processes will need to be addressed. A particular challenge is producing lot‐sizes capable of meeting commercial demands of up to 109 cells/dose for large patient numbers due to the current limitations of expansion technologies. This article describes the application of a decisional tool to identify the most cost‐effective expansion technologies for different scales of production as well as current gaps in the technology capabilities for allogeneic cell therapy manufacture. The tool integrates bioprocess economics with optimization to assess the economic competitiveness of planar and microcarrier‐based cell expansion technologies. Visualization methods were used to identify the production scales where planar technologies will cease to be cost‐effective and where microcarrier‐based bioreactors become the only option. The tool outputs also predict that for the industry to be sustainable for high demand scenarios, significant increases will likely be needed in the performance capabilities of microcarrier‐based systems. These data are presented using a technology S‐curve as well as windows of operation to identify the combination of cell productivities and scale of single‐use bioreactors required to meet future lot sizes. The modeling insights can be used to identify where future R&D investment should be focused to improve the performance of the most promising technologies so that they become a robust and scalable option that enables the cell therapy industry reach commercially relevant lot sizes. The tool outputs can facilitate decision‐making very early on in development and be used to predict, and better manage, the risk of process changes needed as products proceed through the development pathway. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 69–83. © 2013 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. A decisional tool comprising bioprocess economics, optimization and visualization was developed for allogeneic cell therapy manufacture. The tool identifies production scales where planar cell expansion technologies cease to be cost‐effective and where microcarrier‐based bioreactors become the only option. The tool predicts current technology gaps for high demand scenarios, as well as future performance targets. The modeling insights can be used to identify where future R&D investment should be foc