MANUFACTURING
NEXTGENERATION CELL CULTURE MEDIA AND FEEDS SYSTEMS A multi-faceted approach for optimising monoclonal antibody manufacturing productivity Choosing an optimal cell culture media that can be seamlessly integrated into recombinant protein production workflows is essential for successful bioproduction. This article will examine some of the key attributes that manufacturers should look for when choosing a suitable medium for their process. It will cover areas such as the availbility of alternative formats and the need for supplementation, as well as highlight the importance of investigating how the media has been designed. Through this, it will spotlight how next-generation techniques including multi-omics analysis and bioinformatics modelling are being used to design highly optimized off-the-shelf media options. Paul Gulde, Manager, Multi-Omics Research and Development, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chad Schwartz, Senior Global Product Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific
52
P H A RM A F O C U S A S I A
ISSUE 47 - 2022
S
ince the 1980s, monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies have been a growing part of modern medicine’s toolbox of biopharmaceuticals with no sign of this progress slowing down. The recent success of mAb therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated the potential of this technology to treat infectious diseases and prevent serious illness in vulnerable individuals and has contributed to a growing demand for these therapies. To support this demand, there is no doubt that there will be significant pressure on mAb manufacturers to improve the output of their processes. Although mAb manufacturing workflows using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are well established, achieving improved output will still require process optimisations. It will be critical that productivity improvements are achieved without compromising on end-product quality or economic feasibility. In particular,