Pilot plant scale production of human lymphoblastoid interferon

Pilot plant scale production of human lymphoblastoid (Namalva) interferon (IF) is described. Namalva cells were grown in a semicontinuous cultivation method in pilot plant scale fermentors having up to 40-liter culture volume. The harvested Namalva cells were suspended in a serum-free medium at a concentration of 10(7) cells per ml and were induced to produce IF by infection with Sendai virus. The content of IF and protein in the culture supernatant ranged between 2.5 to 5.0 x 10(4) IF units and 150 to 250 microgram protein per ml, respectively. Concentration and partial purification of the IF was done by trichloroacetic acid precipitation, followed by gel filtration through an Ultrogel AcA 54 column. The specific activities of the IF preparations ranged between 2 to 4 x 10(6) IF units per mg protein. Scaling-up the IF production system to 300 liter fermentor scale is under research and development.