Publication of key performance data for the CellMaker PLUS with CHO-S cells

Cellexus Biosystems plc, the PLUS quoted specialist in the design of novel disposable technology for growing cells, is pleased to announce that is has published a Technical Note describing the performance of the new CellMaker PLUS™ for the culture of CHO-S mammalian cells. The Note benchmarks the CellMaker PLUS against the traditional shaker-flask approach for growth and viability measures.

The CellMaker PLUS will be launched in September and includes a wealth of new technologies for the culture of all cell types. This is accompanied by the fusion of single-use technologies that have now been incorporated into a new disposable bag called the HybridBag™. This latest product that unifies the principles of airlift (as applied in the CellexusBag) with those applied in Stirred Tank Reactors (STRs) in a single-use culture bag. The combination or hybridisation of these two principles gives significant advantages, which are demonstrated by the CHO-S data in the Technical Note.

The publication also proves the effectiveness of the new oxygen sensors (called WIDGETS™) that are integrated as standard in all HybridBags. These are used to measure the concentration of dissolved oxygen and data is feed-back to the new CellMaker PLUS Controller, which then regulates and adjusts the flow of air, nitrogen and carbon dioxide to the cells. A similar WIDGET sensor is integrated into the HybridBag to measure pH.

Dr Kevin Auton, CEO stated: “The CellMaker PLUS and the HybridBag are the next generation of products from Cellexus Biosystems and are designed specifically for mammalian cell culture. These innovations in single-use bioreactors have been combined to achieve “the best of all Worlds.” In the Technical Note, we describe how the system can be readily adapted to suit simple batch or complex fed-batch protocols and the importance of controlling oxygen in the process, particularly when low concentrations of CHO cells are being cultured.”

Dr Auton elaborated that “Researchers will start to see an evolution to multi-modal or hybrid, single-use bioreactors that perform multiple operations. There are a number of new innovations being developed by many suppliers and as the challenges associated with manufacturing single-use products are overcome, suppliers will become more adventurous in how they combine technologies. This may include: different mixing strategies or combinations of perfusion with mixing. We will certainly see lower cost single-use sensors in every culture bag.”

In a recent article, Cellexus announced that the CellMaker PLUS and the HybridBag will be launched in September 2007.

The Technical Note can be downloaded via the article webpage.