Bioassays are required for a variety of purposes in the development and production of biopharmaceuticals including drug candidate selection, product releases, product stability assessment, and comparability to support proposed process changes. However, because of their complexity and susceptibility to many variables, bioassays often prove problematic and difficult to develop. Timely development of suitable assay systems represents a major investment on the part of the biopharmaceutical industry — but late development often results in even more costly clinical holds. PRODUCT FOCUS:…
Author Archives: BPI Contributor
Carbohydrates and Their Analysis, Part Two
A polysaccharide is a complex glycan with at least 10 monosaccharide units. It can be formed by the multiples of the same monosaccharide (a homopolysaccharide) or by two or more monosaccharides combined (heteropolysaccharide). Two homopolysaccharides can have completely different conformations — and thus properties — based on the position and type of glycosidic linkages in the structure (Figure 9). Polyglucose ranges from cellulose — β(1,2,3,4) glucan, with its zig-zag chains regularly superimposed to each other and bound tightly by hundreds…
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Rapid, Simultaneous Monitoring
The use of cellular physiology to make target molecules has been practiced for centuries, with early examples being the production of wine and beer through yeast fermentation. Single (e.g., bacteria and yeast) and multicellular (plant or animal) organisms can be harnessed to produce otherwise chemically complex, low-yield, or chemically uncharacterized materials. These include “lock-and-key” receptor complexes with perfect stereochemical specificity, large-scale protein scaffolds, or antibiotics. One example is penicillin, with a sensitive β-lactam ring structure at its core (1). Mass-production…
“Hitchhiker’s Guide” to Bioprocess Design
Acceptance criteria Numerical limits, ranges, or other suitable measures for acceptance of results from analytical procedures that a drug substance, drug product, or materials at other stages of their manufacture should meet (1). Numerical limits, ranges, process signatures, or other suitable measures that are necessary for making a decision to accept or reject the result of a process, in-process variable, a product, or any other convenient subgroups of manufactured units (2). Numerical limits, ranges, or other suitable measures for acceptance…
Taking the Next Step
Long-term hopes for stem cells to cure various diseases are nourished by the latest developments in stem cell research. First clinical studies have begun (Thera Vitae, Israel: congestive heart insufficiency), and patents have been filed (Stem Cell Therapeutics, Canada: combined regulation for the production of neural cells). Clinical use depends on technological requirements for a reproducible cultivation and controlled differentiation of cells in sufficient numbers, so more and more researchers are focusing on the scale-up of stem cell production. For…
Biological Assay Development and Validation
IBC’s 16th annual Bioassay Conference is the meeting for learning about developing, qualifying, validating, and maintaining important biological assays. Come and discover the newest techniques for streamlining development and validation using easy-to-understand statistical approaches. Hear how other assay developers are accelerating their development plans and meeting aggressive timelines. Learn about use of the newest technology and regulatory trends to develop the right assay, at the right time, in the quickest possible way. After attending this conference, you will catapult your…
Products, Services, and Literature
Downstream Processing Product: SciPure 300 GMP production platform Applications: Tangential-flow filtration (TFF) Features: Revolutionary purification platform automates, documents, and analyzes any TFF application needed in a GMP environment. The user-friendly interface is built on the familiar Windows XP operating system and .NET framework; administrative users have easy access to and control over all process parameters, users, permissions, and recipes. The system logs all program variables and automatically maintains optimal TFF conditions through continuous data acquisition and precision control loops. Contact…
Carbohydrates and Their Analysis, Part One
A mammalian cell exists, interacts, reproduces, and dies as a result of intricate biochemical and biophysical mechanisms — many of which remain unknown or not fully understood even today. Technological advances have allowed us to investigate the details of organelles and cell membranes, of the types of molecules synthesized within cells, and their distribution and trafficking and the effects they have in their environment. Among the main macromolecules that make up a living cell, DNA and protein structures were studied…
Products, Services, and Literature
Filtration Pumping Product: 620RE filtration pump Applications: Dead-end filtration and tangential flow filtration (TFF) Features: Gentler on the product in terms of shear stress when producing higher yields; provides unrivaled performance with a control ratio of 2650:1; requires minimal maintenance with no valves or seals to clog, resulting in reduced downtime; offers exclusive innovative PIN-secure protection feature that provides two levels of PIN protection; speed range can be capped to prevent accidental damage to delicate filters; keypad functionality can be…
Establishing a Research Agenda in Bioproduction
Over the past two decades, research organizations and pharmaceutical companies have invested billions of dollars into the development of new biopharmaceutical medicines. This research has resulted in a burgeoning biopharmaceutical industry, with ground-breaking advances in treatments for severe systemic illnesses such as cancer and hemophilia. However, the focus of academic research has historically been centered on drug discovery and development rather than on operational issues relating to drug manufacture. In the past five to ten years there has been an…