Rapid advances in intensifying upstream processes for biologics production have left downstream processing as a bottleneck in the manufacturing scheme. Biomanufacturers are pursuing continuous downstream process development to increase efficiency and flexibility, reduce footprint and cost of goods, and improve product consistency and quality. Even after successful laboratory trials, the implementation of a continuous process at manufacturing scale is not easy to achieve. This paper reviews specific challenges in converting each downstream unit operation to a continuous mode. Key elements of developing practical strategies for overcoming these challenges are detailed. These include equipment valve complexity, favorable column aspect ratio, protein-A resin selection, quantitative assessment of chromatogram peak size and shape, holistic process characterization approach, and a customized process economic evaluation. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive review of current trends and the path forward for implementing continuous downstream processing at the manufacturing scale.
In order to improve the production rates and lower the specific electrophoretic energy consumption values in preparative-scale, recirculating, binary isoelectric trapping separations, we propose to add an auxiliary isoelectric agent to the solution in the anodic separation compartment and another to the solution in the cathodic separation compartment to implement pH-biased isoelectric trapping. The auxiliary isoelectric agents are selected such that they are trapped in the respective anodic and cathodic separation compartments and also, have isoelectric point (pI) values that are different from the pI values of the analytes of interest. By proper selection of the auxiliary isoelectric agents and their concentrations, the analytes of interest can be kept in nonisoelectric, charged state during the entire course of the preparative-scale, recirculating, binary isoelectric trapping separation. This results in higher electrophoretic mobilities and solubilities for the analytes than in their isoelectric or near-isoelectric states, and leads to faster binary isoelectric trapping separations.
Alkali-stable, high-pI isoelectric membranes have been synthesized from quaternary ammonium derivatives of cyclodextrins and poly(vinyl alcohol), and bifunctional cross-linkers, such as glycerol-1,3-diglycidyl ether. The new, high-pI isoelectric membranes were successfully applied as cathodic membranes in isoelectric trapping separations in place of the hydrolytically more labile, polyacrylamide-based cathodic isoelectric membranes, and permitted the use of catholytes as alkaline as 1 M NaOH. The new high-pI isoelectric membranes have shown excellent mechanical stability, low electric resistance and long life times, even when subjected to electrophoresis with current densities as high as 80 mA/cm2.
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