Chromatographic separation is based on the differential affinity of the components to a surface of solid adsorbent. While the batch or elution chromatography has found the largest number of applications up to now, Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) chromatography as a continuous process is gaining more attention due to its advantages in terms of productivity and eluent consumption. SMB is a multicolumn, continuous adsorption separation process that increases throughput, purity and yield relative to batch chromatography. Designing SMB processes involves, among other tasks, the selection of the number of columns per zone and the proper selection of the flowrates (feed, desorbent, raffinate, extract and recycle) and of the switching times in each cycle of operation. Nowadays, SMB technology has been applied to separation and purification of proteins, enantiomers and sugars. Several advances to improve SMB technology efficiency includes new configurations of equipment designs to provide more degrees of freedom than the classical process and also the implementation of the use of solvent gradient, temperature gradient and of supercritical fluids as eluents. The rise of biotechnological products within the marketplace for pharmaceuticals is but one example of how recent developments in this area are making a major impact.