Seed train process intensification strategy offers potential for rapid, cost-effective scale-up of biosimilars manufacturing

A perfusion approach at N-1, where cells stay in the exponential growth phase throughout the entire culture duration, is becoming more common as a strategy for process intensification. This is because the higher cell densities it generates allows manufacturers to skip seed stages and reduce process transfer time through multiple bioreactor sizes, thus providing more cost-effective biologics production in smaller facilities. However, this N-1 perfusion approach requires optimization. In this article, we describe the development and proof-of-concept studies with single-use rocking motion perfusion bioreactors in which we have achieved a ten-fold increase in viable cell count in N-1 seed stage, compared to the fed-batch control process, in just 6–8 days. We also mention in detail how we inoculated a 50 L bioreactor production run using this intensified seed train and show comparable growth kinetics and yield with a control process, also at 50 L scale. Using this intensification approach in the future will help our manufacturing facility, the Biopharma Division of Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd., reach 4000 L production-scale volumes with fewer process transfer steps, and without changing the feeding strategy or production bioreactors of our biologics’ portfolio.

A Direct Method to Monitor Glutathione Stability in High Concentration Protein Formulations

Due to its antioxidant properties and favorable safety profile, glutathione (GSH) finds use in protein formulations by improving overall protein stability. Once degraded, primarily by oxidation into glutathione disulfide (GSSG), the protecting effect of GSH is lost. A simple, direct method using reversed-phase separation and charged-aerosol detection (RP-CAD) to quantitate GSH is described in this paper. The analytical methodology is also capable of monitoring several by-product degradants of GSH, both oxidative and non-oxidative. For high-concentration protein formulations, the method provides direct analysis of GSH and its degradants in the presence of protein at up to 225 mg/mL simply through a dilution of the sample. Quantitation of many amino acids typically included in pharmaceutical protein formulations is also possible. Use of an online diverting valve in the method prevents interference in the detector from the high protein concentration in formulation. Accuracy and effectiveness of this method is demonstrated through monitoring the stability of GSH in high-concentration protein formulations through confirmation of GSH concentration and mass-balance of its loss over time. Monitoring GSH stability in protein formulations is necessary, as GSH concentration is indicative of protein stability.