Parallel loading and complete automation of a 3-step mAb purification process for multiple samples using a customized...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Protein Purification
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• High-throughput screening yields more novel therapeutic proteins, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), for early research.
• Existing mid-scale purification technologies lack the efficiency and versatility to handle increased molecule demand.
• A bottleneck exists in scaling up purification processes from discovery to development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and construct a custom purification instrument to address limitations in mid-scale protein purification.
• To enhance the throughput and flexibility of purification processes for therapeutic proteins.
• To reduce overall processing time in early-stage research and development.

Main Methods:

• A custom instrument was engineered using an ÄKTA Pure system.
• The system enables parallel processing of up to five samples.
• It supports 1- to 3-step purification protocols with unique schemes per sample within a single queue.

Main Results:

• The custom instrument allows parallel processing of five samples simultaneously.
• Each sample can undergo a distinct purification strategy within one run.
• Overall processing time was reduced by 83% compared to traditional manual methods.

Conclusions:

• The novel custom instrument significantly improves efficiency and speed in mid-scale protein purification.
• This system offers enhanced flexibility for diverse purification needs in early drug development.
• The optimized workflow accelerates the availability of therapeutic proteins for research.