How Multi-Column Chromatography Improves Downstream Processing and Saves Money 

One of the most time-consuming and resource-consuming parts of every bioprocess is downstream processing, particularly at the capture step. The traditional capture chromatography method for processing (single-column approach) requires a lot of time, equipment, and resin, keeping costs high and resulting in production bottlenecks in a very time-sensitive industry. 

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Like most manufacturing industries, bio-pharmaceutical manufacturers need to find ways to reduce costs while maximizing process efficiency. Unlike many other industries, though, the biopharma manufacturing industry has been slow to adopt disruptive new technologies that can improve production efficiency. For various reasons—from justifying quality equivalence to complying with regulatory requirements—many companies just keep doing things in legacy time-consuming and expensive ways.  

With multi-column chromatography you can get the best of both worlds. It offers significant savings without sacrificing any of the quality you expect, using essentially the same process in a more efficient way.

Multi-column chromatography (MCC) is currently one of the leading routes to optimize the downstream capture steps. Here are just a few reasons to ditch single-column chromatography and start using MCC today.

Infographic: 5 Reasons to Switch to Multi-Column Chromatography

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1: Reduce Waste and Cut Costs

Manufacturing companies throughout the world have a common goal: relentlessly eliminate waste to create the most efficient process. There are many names for this methodology, such as  Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma. At the core it is simply looking for steps that waste time or money (or both) and removing them from your manufacturing process.  

In downstream processing the resin represents a significant portion of the costs for single-column chromatography batch processes. It’s necessary to purify the target molecule and is locked into the process right at the start of development, so it’s a critical step.  

However, at any given time with a single-column approach, only a small amount of the resin in the column is actually doing its job. The rest sits idle without being fully utilized and is eventually thrown away. 

Achieve up to 80% savings on chromatography resin costs with MCC.

You could get a larger chromatography column that speeds up processing but adds costs with higher resin requirements and more wasted resin. Or you could use smaller columns that reduce operational costs but limit your capacity. With single-column processing there is no happy medium.

A better alternative is multi-column chromatography, which uses multiple small columns. These columns are cycled much more frequently utilizing the resin fully. When you do more with less you save money with a more sustainable process.

The MCC system is a direct replacement for a single column system.

2: Eliminate Bottlenecks

With single-column chromatography facilities often limit throughput because using more resin to speed up the process costs more. Using less resin saves money, but it slows down the process and creates a bottleneck.  

Increase productivity by 3-5x over single-column chromatography.

With multi-column chromatography each column is fully loaded, then once it’s complete that column can begin the purification process, which continues with each column cycling through various different stages in parallel:

• Loading
• Wash
• Elution
• Regeneration
• Equilibration

By the time these steps are complete the first column is ready to begin another round of processing. You get a more efficient process by performing multiple steps at the same time.

3: Maintain Quality Attributes and Performance

Facilities still using single-column chromatography might wonder whether making these changes to the process would negatively impact quality. The switch from the standard large single column to multiple smaller columns is different, and the concept of column overload is new in most facilities. But neither will negatively impact quality attributes, so you get the same quality with more efficiency, all while reducing costs.

4: Avoid Adding More Hardware

The MCC system enables the use of much smaller columns. You can configure as many or as few columns as needed to optimize your manufacturing process. But the size burden is always less, as is the storage and packing overhead.  

MCC systems eliminate the need for costly and large ancillary hardware traditionally required with conventional single-column approaches. Other benefits include: 

• Flexibility and agility to scale up or down over time
• Simple integration into existing batch processes
• Intuitive software that doesn’t require specialized expertise or extensive training

Learn How MCC Can Transform Your Downstream Processing

Learn more about how MCC works in downstream processing, then talk to our team about how this innovative method could improve your pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.