CELL/PRODUCT TYPE

There is a limited range of cell lines used in the bioindustry today, restricted by the broad requirements to be safe for the patient and sufficiently productive for its industrial use. The industry is regulated carefully and this means that success and FDA acceptance with a certain methodology or cell line encourages others to follow since their risk is reduced.

The workhorse of the biomanufacturing industry is the CHO cell line, driven by antibody and protein products. There are several other competing mammalian cell lines with distinct differences, such as PER.C6® and NS0 that are also grown in suspension culture. Newer on the scene and now being used to produce several products in the clinic are insect cells, such as SF9. There are also adherent cell lines used widely for production such as MDCK and Vero, as well as stem cells which are often grown on microcarriers also. These are used in more specialized sectors such as vaccines or personalized medicine.

All cell lines and production methodologies face the similar industrial problems of scaling up reliably and increasing productivity (or reducing cost of goods) to enable a profit to be made on the final biological product. Whether the cell is the product itself, or the cell is the factory for generating the product, the ATF™ System can deliver benefits in the manufacturing process.

Here is a table showing different cell lines and methodologies and how the ATF System can be used to improve performance.