Savings That Speak Volumes: The Economic Benefits Of Perfusion Bioprocessing

Perfusion is a cell culture method that involves retaining cells within a bioreactor while replenishing nutrients through the exchange of spent medium with fresh medium. Perfusion can be used to enhance productivity throughout the bioprocessing workflow by accelerating the seed train or allowing for intensified production methods. While perfusion is often associated with the rising popularity of continuous production, the method can be implemented in a variety of ways, including N-1, concentrated or intensified fed-batch, and continuous perfusion.

Although perfusion has seen a recent surge in popularity, the method has been used by biologics manufacturers for decades. It was initially used in the production of unstable and cytotoxic proteins to maintain product quality and process productivity, particularly for hemophilic factors and recombinant protein treatments for rare metabolic storage disorders. Perfusion is increasingly being recognized by manufacturers for its productivity benefits, including the ability to achieve significantly higher viable cell densities than fed-batch operations. However, the adoption of perfusion is still obstructed by concerns surrounding the economic impact of the switch and the complexity of operation. Here we discuss advances in biopharmaceutical manufacturing that make perfusion an increasingly popular choice, as well as the economic benefits and concerns surrounding the method.