Model-based strategy for cell culture seed train layout verified at lab scale.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Cell Biology
• Bioprocess Engineering

Background:

• Cell culture seed trains are essential for generating sufficient viable cells for bioreactor inoculation.
• Current seed train processes are time- and cost-intensive, indicating a need for optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel tool for optimizing cell culture seed train layouts and proceedings.
• To determine optimal cell passaging points between different scales in the seed train process.

Main Methods:

• A new tool was developed to identify optimal cell passaging times.
• The tool was applied to two distinct cell lines: AGE1.HN AAT and CHO-K1 at lab scale.
• Experimental seed train runs were evaluated against the tool's proposed layouts.

Main Results:

• The developed tool successfully determined optimal seed train layouts for both tested cell lines.
• For the AGE1.HN AAT cell line, the tool's results matched a previously manually designed seed train.
• The tool achieved the same seed train layout using data from only two batches.

Conclusions:

• The developed tool offers an efficient method for optimizing cell culture seed train design.
• This optimization has the potential to significantly reduce the time and cost associated with bioprocessing.
• The tool demonstrates reliable performance across different cell lines with minimal data input.