Facing the Challenges in Vaccine Upstream Bioprocessing - 6

Facing the Challenges in Vaccine Upstream Bioprocessing * Interview: Vaccine Manufacturing

time, optimize the utility requirement,
and reduce equipment footprints, thus leading
to compact manufacturing suites and a lower risk
of contamination or accidental exposure.

GEN: How do you judge the importance of
continuous/perfusion bioprocess techniques in
vaccine production today? Do you expect it to
become more important in the future?

Dr. Lovrecz: Eggs and roller bottles are still the
most important platforms, especially for traditional vaccines. This has to change and we all
should move to stirred (preferably single-use)
tanks. This is made possible by the advances in
novel vaccine generation methods (subunits, etc.)
and high yield/high density cell cultures.

Mr. Khambati: As the global demand for vaccine
doses increased, there was a need for a new
manufacturing method that could drastically
change the way we handle high volumes today.
The continuous/perfusion system has come as a
savior to vaccine manufacturers as it can resolve
both issues of space and volume. With the advent
of continuous manufacturing, small footprint
equipment with high volume turnaround will
become a reality in the near future.

GEN: Which are the three main challenges
in upstream bioprocessing for the production
of vaccines?
Mr. Khambati: Low yield process, large
volume processing, and high downtime due
to maintenance, cleaning, and contamination.
Dr. Lovrecz: Speed and flexibility (in the case
of a potential outbreak), and often sterility and
operator safety.

| GENengnews.com

Dr. Lovrecz: Perfusion systems are far more
important/central to traditional biologics (mAbs,
cytokines, etc.). Yes, I expect it to be become more
important in the next five or more years.
GEN: To increase scale we can scaleup (increasing
the working volume) or scaleout (increasing the
number of bioreactors). Do you think one strategy
is more promising than the other?

The continuous/
perfusion system
has come as a
savior to vaccine
manufacturers
as it can resolve
both issues of
space and volume.

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Facing the Challenges in Vaccine Upstream Bioprocessing

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