A Smart Path For Novel Biologics

By Pawel Linke and Markus Neubauer

Cell culture is at the heart of the production process for many biopharmaceuticals, but finding the optimal conditions to maximize yield can be a complex and time-consuming process. Traditional process development relies on costly and labor-intensive setups, significantly limiting throughput and the range of experimental conditions that can be assessed. Scientists in Roche Pharma Research and Early Development have adopted an alternative approach.

Implementation of high-throughput upstream process development systems requires an orchestrated approach of both hardware and software solutions so that data can be used in-process, enabling efficient development and decision making. Here our experts discuss the integration of parallel microbioreactors, robotic liquid handling (with Tecan Fluent), and the Cedex Bio HT Analyzer for bioprocess control as well as the mesh-like middleware that seamlessly manages the data flowing among each of the lab instruments. All of these systems work in harmony to increase the number of therapeutic proteins developed at pRED. With an eye on the future, Roche Pharma seeks to take these learnings and apply them to biologics modalities, such as gene therapy, making this workflow solution a smart path for novel biologics.