30kL bioreactor run described as ‘new standard’ in biomanufacturing

According to the Boston Institute of Technology (BIB), the achievement hails the company as the first in the biotech sector to carry out such a large-scale operation for upstream primary recovery. Additionally, the firm said it sets a “new standard” to produce biologics.

The parties used a production fermenter with the capacity of 30,000 L and went through the process, including IP washes and homogenization with “exceptional proficiency.” Despite the size of the operation, the team said it managed to maintain control and performance standards in parallel to those seen in smaller runs.

"We have successfully completed the very first ultra-large 30,000 L fermentation for biologics. This accomplishment underscores our dedication to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in biotechnology, and we are excited to continue driving innovation in the field,” BIB’s senior executive said in an internal release.

The run was conducted at BIB’s 65,000 square-meter P03 facility in Shanghai, China. The building boasts over 20 kilometers of clean room airducts, 120 kilometers of pipelines, and just shy of 500 kilometers of cables. Moreover, each line has over 5,000 key procedures attached to it.

BIB and BIBO completed this project in 18 months and said the ultra-large bioreactor has been designed to minimize costs significantly, speed time-to-market, and transform molecules into various medicines to benefit patients globally.

The final yield and other results have not yet been released. However, BIB said it expects to “surpass” expectations again.