Manufacturing of "MSC 2.0" Using Functionally Closed Systems: Corning® CellSTACK® And HYPERStack® Vessels

By Ho Yoon Khei, Jun Yung Woo, and Khang Luu

Advancing engineered allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapies from the laboratory to clinical use requires overcoming a significant hurdle: producing cells at a scale that meets patient demand without compromising safety or efficacy. While open-system setups often suffice for early trials, they introduce higher contamination risks and labor demands that can impede commercial scalability. Transitioning to functionally closed systems provides a more integrated solution for manufacturing non-virally engineered cells, often referred to as "MSC 2.0".

By utilizing gas-permeable technology within a compact footprint, it is possible to achieve a 100-fold expansion—producing hundreds of millions of cells in just eight days. Data confirms that these expanded cells maintain robust transgene expression and potent anti-cancer properties, effectively reducing the proliferation of drug-resistant glioblastoma cells in cytotoxicity assays. Review this application note to discover how to optimize yield and maintain phenotypic consistency in your therapeutic workflow.