Overcoming Barriers To Creating High Concentration pH-Neutral Feed Supplements For CHO Fed Batch Cultures

By Shawn L. Barrett, Ryan Boniface, Prasad Dhulipala, Mark Stramaglia, and Stephen F. Gorfien, Life Technologies

Robust fed batch processes are required to leverage high cell-specific productivity and get the most out of bioreactor throughput. Current chemically defined fed batch platforms for CHO-based production of recombinant proteins involve additions of one or more concentrated nutrient solutions. Using a novel and proprietary technology, researchers at Gibco® , part of Life Technologies, have developed a prototype feed supplement that is designed to “enhance” existing feeds and bolster fed batch productivity of current platforms. This approach has been demonstrated to be highly effective in several CHO cell lines producing IgGs. Without process optimization, supplementation with this prototype feed in relatively low proportions (approximately 2.5-10% of total culture volume) has resulted in 45-120% improvement in product titers in several CHO fed batch processes. Initial liquid format prototypes have been shown to be precipitate-free for over a year. The ability to develop highly concentrated, pH-neutral supplements that can be added to any CHO culture system represents a major advancement in fed batch technology.