(52f) Continuous Production of Monoclonal Antibodies in Attached CHO CELL Culture MINI-Reactors: Use of Zein Foams As a Matrix for CELL Adhesion | AIChE

(52f) Continuous Production of Monoclonal Antibodies in Attached CHO CELL Culture MINI-Reactors: Use of Zein Foams As a Matrix for CELL Adhesion

Authors 

trujillo De Santiago, G. - Presenter, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias
Alvarez, M. M. - Presenter, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias
Ozuna Chacón, S., Tecnológico de Monterrey
López-Meza, J., Tecnológico de Monterrey
López-Pacheco, F., Tecnológico de Monterrey
Rocha-Pizaña, M. D. R., Tecnológico de Monterrey
Iannace, S., National Research Council of Italy
Di Maio, E., University of Naples Federico II

We present proof-of-principle results of the use of continuous mini-reactors (1mL scale) for the production of monoclonal antibodies in adherent CHO cell cultures using zein-foams as the scaffold for cell adhesion.  Zein foams were produced from thermo-plasticized zein exposed to supercritical CO2 foaming.

CHO cells were able to colonize and proliferate on the surface of the zein foams achieving confluence under continuous flow. Monoclonal antibody concentrations of 60 mg/L were achieved under steady state conditions at residence times of 1 hr. The maximum cell density of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell cultures grown in the foam mini-bioreactors exceed 10 fold that observed in their stirred tank counterparts. Remarkably, their productivity is 100 fold higher with respect to the one observed in optimized fed-batch cultures in instrumented bioreactors (using the same cell line). Our results demonstrate that cell anchorage growth using plant-derived foamy surfaces is an attractive strategy for the production of biopharmaceutical compounds for screening and inclusively pilot plant scenarios.