Continuous Chromatography
Multi-Column Chromatography Solutions for Minimizing Costs
Biopharmaceutical manufacturers and CDMOs purifying mAbs are eager to simplify downstream operations. Traditional batch chromatography is more time-intensive and requires large amount of protein A resin. Multi-column chromatography (MCC) solutions, offer a number of advantages. For example, the first column in MCC has a greater binding capacity, reducing protein A resin requirements. And, with several columns operating in parallel, MCC enables manufacturers to explore continuous processing.
How to Select Your DSP Chromatography Technology
Making the switch from single batch to multi-column chromatography can dramatically reduce resin utilization, reducing costs and eliminating bottlenecks without sacrificing quality. This animated feature compares the traditional, single batch approach to a multi-column alternative for mAb capture.
Continuous loading of the column and elimination of idle periods improve resin capacity utilization, reducing resin usage by 80%
Run identical simultaneous separations, increasing productivity of the resin 3–5x while maintaining very high yields
Operate between 1-8 columns (16 for process development) on a single system to accommodate a wide range of titers and future process configurations
Find the Right Multi-Column Chromatography Solution
The BioSMB platform is a fully scalable solution for your manufacturing environment and is supported by a global Field Application Services team with MCC experts who can provide installation support. BioSMB PD is designed for process development and small-scale manufacturing, while BioSMB Process systems are designed for clinical and commercial manufacturing. In the latter, there are two flow range variants available — BioSMB Process 80 and BioSMB Process 350. The two systems cover typical single-use perfusion and fed-batch bioreactor-based processes.
BioSMB PD | BioSMB Process 80 | BioSMB Process 350 | |
Scale | PD / Clinical | Clinical / Commercial Manufacturing | Clinical / Commercial Manufacturing |
Number of Columns | 1-16 | 1-8 | 1-8 |
Flow Rate Range | 0.06-6 L/hr | 5-80 L/hr | 30-350 L/hr |
Process Type | Continuous and Intensified Batch | Continuous and Intensified Batch | Continuous and Intensified Batch |
BioSMB PD
BioSMB PD is an integrated single-use device for process development to fully automate a wide variety of chromatographic processes, including bind/elute chromatography and flow-through polishing.
The BioSMB PD system is designed specifically for lab-scale process development and features:
- Up to 16 column positions
- Flow rate range of .06–6 L/hr
- 2 sizes of disposable flow kit, changed as part of preventive maintenance
BioSMB Process 80/350
The BioSMB Process 80 and 350 systems are sized and specified for clinical and commercial manufacturing under GMP. They feature a unique single-use, eight-column architecture for a highly flexible chromatography system that delivers high throughput and very efficient resin utilization.
There are two flow range variants available — BioSMB Process 80 and BioSMB Process 350. The two systems cover typical single-use perfusion and fed-batch bioreactor-based processes:
- Up to 8 column positions
- Flexible flow configuration through single-use valve cassette
- Flow rates ranging from 5-350 L/hr
- Interchangeable pump modules that can be swapped between systems
Traditional Batch vs. Multi-Column Chromatography
Continuous Multi-Column Chromatography: Better Than Batch Chromatography
In traditional single-column batch chromatography, there are inherent limitations because the system rarely uses the full capacity of the stationary phase during loading. In multi-column chromatography, the large column is split into a number of smaller columns that can be processed individually, eliminating idle zones. In addition, the flexible valve configuration allows breakthrough of the product stream to a secondary column, which allows the full capacity of the column to be used through overloading, leading to improved process efficiency with increased resin capacity utilization.
Batch Chromatography
- Single large column
- Loading stopped before the column is saturated
- Idle bed volumes, leading to increased cycle time
- Higher resin volume requirement for a given batch size and processing time
- Large footprint due to stainless-steel columns and support infrastructure for single unit operation
Multi-Column Chromatography
- Number of smaller columns
- Efficiency Gain 1: Controlled overloading of columns by capturing breakthrough on another column, thereby utilizing unused capacity
- Efficiency Gain 2: Elimination of idle volumes of packed bed by dividing a larger column into smaller sections that can be processed independently and quickly
- Efficiency gains lead to lower resin volume requirement, reducing resin usage by 80%
- Small footprint, eliminating the need for packing skids and other support infrastructure
Featured Assets
Success Story - BioSMB for Increased Productivity at mAB Capture Step
Our experts recommended that a CDMO upgrade from traditional batch chromatography to the BioSMB multi-column chromatography platform to achieve higher productivity at the mAb capture step. Read how the CDMO saw dramatic improvements in both resin utilization and measured productivity.
Case Study - Merck Process Transfer and Scale-Up of Batch Chromatography to Multi-Column Platform
The driver for the study was an exploratory evaluation of the impact and benefits of multi-column chromatography. Product quality consistency was considered, as well as the possible cost and resin savings associated with transitioning from batch to continuous.
