(52h) Scale-up of the Production of Rotavirus on Sp2/0-Ag14 Cell Culture up to 2L Bioreactor

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting 8.2 million deaths in 2012. Conventional cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery usually affect patients’ health negatively and do not ensure full recovery; therefore, worldwide research efforts are focused on developing new treatments or palliative therapies. Oncolytic virus treatment is among them.

We have developed extensive rotavirus research and noticed the oncolytic potential of several murine as well as human wild-type rotavirus strains. Taking advantage of such potential, we decided to explore early stages of drug development using rotavirus as active principle; to do so, large quantities of purified rotavirus are needed. Consequently, this research focuses on the production of murine rotavirus strains from 25 cm² T-flasks to 100 mL spinner flasks and then to 2L stirred tank bioreactor.

The Sp2/0-Ag14 cell line was selected as host for viral replication. In order to obtain the largest cell concentration, the effect of stirring speed, inoculum concentration, pH, temperature and media composition on cell growth, viability, glucose consumption and lactate production rates was evaluated. Also, the effect of multiplicity of infection (M.O.I) and cellular growth phase for infection on viral production kinetics was evaluated.