New bioreactor from Integra

Switzerland's Integra Biosciences will launch a new product in its CELLine range of culture flasks, designed to increase production yields in laboratories making monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins, at next month's International Biotech 2003 exhibition in London, UK.

The recently-introduced CELLine system is already available in two formats, including a small version (CL 350) suitable for laboratory work and a larger one (CL 1000) that can handle small production runs. The latter is also suitable for preparing cells for seeding large-scale production reactors, according to Integra.

The new entrant in the range is specifically designed for the protein expression from adherent cell lines. It incorporates a woven polyethylene teraphthalate (PET) matrix in the cell compartment to provide a surface for cell attachment. This is of particular se when culturing cell line such as CHO, HEK and BHK, according to the firm.

The design of the CELLine bioreacter vessel is such that nutrients can be added from the top of the container while the cells are kept oxygenated from below, a feature that makes it easier to maintain long-term cultures of fragile cells. This is achieved through the use of semi-permeable membranes that separate the culture chamber from the culture medium compartment and make it easier to overcome traditional growth limitations brought about by a lack of nutrients or the accumulation of metabolic waste.

Integra has conducted comparative studies with batch culture in which the CELLine system has been shown to require 90 per cent less material and 80 per cent less serum when used for MAb production. These studies indicated that there is a 70 per cent reduction in the time needed to prepare and maintain the culture, with an overall reduction in costs of 40 per cent. Meanwhile, the yield of MAbs from the CELLine system was improved 50- to 100-fold.

The New CELLine adherent product can achieve cell densities of between 107 and 108 cells per ml, two orders of magnitude higher than conventional static cell culture techniques, according to Integra.

For more information on the CELLine adherent product, visit Integra's website​ or e-mail nyrknaqre.fghqre@vagrten-ovbfpvraprf.pbz​.