Continuous Bioprocessing Control and Connectivity

Cost-effective, rapid and flexible biopharmaceutical production is an industry-wide challenge. Process intensification through continuous manufacturing has proved successful in other industries and is a promising area of investigation for researchers, vendors and biomanufacturers. However, business and technical barriers, both real as well as perceived, have hindered the widespread adoption of continuous bioprocessing. The challenge of developing an end-to-end, continuous bioprocess has been addressed by several companies with a range of solutions. More recently, a common framework for integrated and continuous biomanufacturing has emerged: perfusion processes linked to multi-column capture chromatography predominate, with some processes being integrated and continuous from the bioreactor to the final concentration step. Moving beyond batch operation, linking process steps together and interdependence between the two require new and more complicated control strategies. This increase in complexity is cited as a hurdle to adoption. Through collaboration and a multi-faceted approach, BioPhorum aims to rationalize and simplify the product handoff between unit operations.