Process Intensification Of Protein A Affinity Step For Monoclonal Antibody Purification Using Membrane And Multi-Column Chromatography

By Sayali Kulkarni and Anupama Kante, Jericho Coquilla, Sammy Samaha, Martin Hoang, Hayley Hua, and Haiou Yang

Protein A capture remains one of the costliest steps in monoclonal antibody purification, making process intensification a priority for biopharmaceutical manufacturers. A comparison of resin-based batch, multi-column, and membrane chromatography shows how alternative approaches can improve productivity while maintaining comparable yield and impurity reduction. At the projected 1,000 L bioreactor scale, membrane chromatography delivered 19 to 20 times greater productivity and reduced cost of goods per batch by up to 91%. Multi-column chromatography also achieved meaningful gains, including up to 72% cost savings. Further testing across 55 membrane cycles demonstrated consistent performance at pilot scale, supporting membrane chromatography as a scalable option for early-stage programs.

Explore the operational considerations, cost projections, and scale-up results that can inform a more efficient Protein A capture strategy