Sartorius Stedim Biotech will combine its single-use technology with Novasep’s continuous chromatography BioSC platform to develop a membrane chromatography system.

The deal sees the two vendors team up to aid biomanufacturing intensification by developing new technologies in the downstream based on membrane chromatography.

“The systems expertise and established BioSC platform at Novasep, and the single-use expertise and technology coming from SSB [Sartorius Stedim Biotech] will both be key factors in the success of this collaboration,” Kathryn Schnorf, head of Product Management, Chromatography and Virus at Sartorius Stedim Biotech, told BioProcess Insider.

Novasep’s BioSC Pilot

“SSB will also contribute advanced data analytics capabilities through the recently acquired Umetrics software suite.”

Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

Gain in the membrane

Membrane chromatography uses a functionalized membrane that serves as the active separation surface rather than a bead, as used in traditional chromatography techniques.

Compared to resin-based chromatography, the pore sizes in the membranes are much larger, which, combined with low bed heights, enable very fast, convective flow rates, essentially residence -time independent binding, and high capacity for large biomolecules.

“Current marketed chromatography systems do not take full advantage of the capabilities and benefits of membrane chromatography and are not designed for optimal operation of these devices,” Schnorf explained.

“In particular, the higher throughput, reduced footprint and quick and easy turn-around envisioned in intensified processing can be fully realized. In addition, the COGs reduction and increased facility utilization that the biomanufacturing industry strives for can be realized with novel system design, advanced process control and optimized processing approaches.”