Sorption kinetics and breakthrough curves for pepsin and chymosin using pepstatin A affinity membranes

Application of mechanistic modelling in membrane and fiber chromatography for purification of biotherapeutics - A review

Mechanistic modelling is a simulation tool which has been effectively applied in downstream bioprocessing to model resin chromatography. Membrane and fiber chromatography are newer approaches that offer higher rates of mass transfer and consequently higher flow rates and reduced processing times. This review describes the key considerations in the development of mechanistic models for these unit operations. Mass transfer is less complex than in resin columns, but internal housing volumes can make modelling difficult, particularly for laboratory-scale devices. Flow paths are often non-linear and the dead volume is often a larger fraction of the overall volume, which may require more complex hydrodynamic models to capture residence time distributions accurately. In this respect, the combination of computational fluid dynamics with appropriate protein binding models is emerging as an ideal approach.

Zonal rate model for axial and radial flow membrane chromatography. Part I: knowledge transfer across operating conditions and scales

The zonal rate model (ZRM) has previously been applied for analyzing the performance of axial flow membrane chromatography capsules by independently determining the impacts of flow and binding related non-idealities on measured breakthrough curves. In the present study, the ZRM is extended to radial flow configurations, which are commonly used at larger scales. The axial flow XT5 capsule and the radial flow XT140 capsule from Pall are rigorously analyzed under binding and non-binding conditions with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as test molecule. The binding data of this molecule is much better reproduced by the spreading model, which hypothesizes different binding orientations, than by the well-known Langmuir model. Moreover, a revised cleaning protocol with NaCl instead of NaOH and minimizing the storage time has been identified as most critical for quantitatively reproducing the measured breakthrough curves. The internal geometry of both capsules is visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The flow in the external hold-up volumes of the XT140 capsule was found to be more homogeneous as in the previously studied XT5 capsule. An attempt for model-based scale-up was apparently impeded by irregular pleat structures in the used XT140 capsule, which might lead to local variations in the linear velocity through the membrane stack. However, the presented approach is universal and can be applied to different capsules. The ZRM is shown to potentially help save valuable material and time, as the experiments required for model calibration are much cheaper than the predicted large-scale experiment at binding conditions.

Cellulose and Glass Fiber Affinity Membranes for the Chromatographic Separation of Biomolecules

Macroporous cellulose and glass membranes were prepared from filter paper and glass fiber filter, respectively. To enhance their stability, the cellulose membranes were crosslinked with epichlorohydrin, and the glass membranes were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde or organic bifunctional silanes. Several pathways for the modification, activation, and ligand immobilization were used and compared. For cellulose membranes, the diazotization method provided the best results, whereas the glutaraldehyde method provided the best performance for glass membranes, regarding both their stability and ligand immobilization capacity. The characterization of the membranes was made by using a triazine dye, bovine serum albumin, and trypsin as test ligands. The membrane morphologies and the uniformities of ligand distribution across the membrane cartridges were investigated. Numerous affinity ligands were immobilized onto the membranes, and the prepared affinity membranes have been used to separate or purify concanavalin A, peroxidase, protease inhibitors, globulin, fibronectin, and other biomolecules.

Membrane adsorbers as purification tools for monoclonal antibody purification

Downstream purification processes for monoclonal antibody production typically involve multiple steps; some of them are conventionally performed by bead-based column chromatography. Affinity chromatography with Protein A is the most selective method for protein purification and is conventionally used for the initial capturing step to facilitate rapid volume reduction as well as separation of the antibody. However, conventional affinity chromatography has some limitations that are inherent with the method, it exhibits slow intraparticle diffusion and high pressure drop within the column. Membrane-based separation processes can be used in order to overcome these mass transfer limitations. The ligand is immobilized in the membrane pores and the convective flow brings the solute molecules very close to the ligand and hence minimizes the diffusional limitations associated with the beads. Nonetheless, the adoption of this technology has been slow because membrane chromatography has been limited by a lower binding capacity than that of conventional columns, even though the high flux advantages provided by membrane adsorbers would lead to higher productivity. This review considers the use of membrane adsorbers as an alternative technology for capture and polishing steps for the purification of monoclonal antibodies. Promising industrial applications as well as new trends in research will be addressed.

Modelling and simulation of affinity membrane adsorption

A mathematical model for the adsorption of biomolecules on affinity membranes is presented. The model considers convection, diffusion and adsorption kinetics on the membrane module as well as the influence of dead end volumes and lag times; an analysis of flow distribution on the whole system is also included. The parameters used in the simulations were obtained from equilibrium and dynamic experimental data measured for the adsorption of human IgG on A2P-Sartoepoxy affinity membranes. The identification of a bi-Langmuir kinetic mechanisms for the experimental system investigated was paramount for a correct process description and the simulated breakthrough curves were in good agreement with the experimental data. The proposed model provides a new insight into the phenomena involved in the adsorption on affinity membranes and it is a valuable tool to assess the use of membrane adsorbers in large scale processes.

Variation analysis of affinity-membrane model based on Freundlich adsorption

The variation analysis of membrane properties including membrane thickness and pore-size was carried out theoretically by using affinity-membrane model based upon the Freundlich adsorption equation. As the percentage variation of membrane thickness and distribution of pore-size increase, we find that (1) the time of total saturation is delayed; (2) the loading capacity at the point of breakthrough are decreased; (3) solute recovery efficiency and ligand utilization efficiency is decreased; (4) the thickness of unused membrane is increased. The results show that even small variations of thickness and distribution of pore size may severely degrade the membrane performance.

Mass transfer kinetics and breakthrough and elution curves for bovine serum albumin using cibacron blue cellulose membranes

The mass transfer of bovine serum albumin onto a stack of cibacron blue cellulose membranes in the loading and elution stages were studied. The breakthrough curves obtained in the loading stage were fitted to the pore and the lumped kinetic (LK) models, respectively. Then experimental data obtained in the elution stage were described by using the LK model in which the kinetic equation, the initial and the boundary conditions were rewritten according to the operation. For the breakthrough curves it was found that the contribution of the sorption kinetics to band broadening was significant whereas that of axial dispersion was negligible. In contrast, both of these contributions were significant to the profile of the elution curve. By studying the mass transfer kinetics in the elution stage, information about the influence of the module geometry on the performance of affinity membrane separations may be obtained.

Mathematical analysis of affinity membrane chromatography

A mathematical model including convection, diffusion and Freundlich adsorption is developed. To examine the validity of the model, the affinity membranes were prepared by coating chitosan on the nylon membranes, a ligand of poly-L-lysine was bound to the chitoan-coating membranes, and the adsorption behavior of bilirubin through the stacked affinity membranes was investigated. The agreements between the theoretical and experimental results are exceptional. Using our new model, we show that: (1) As Pe increases, the breakthrough curves become sharper. For Pe greater than 30, the effect of axial diffusion is insignificant; (2) As m increases, the time of total saturation is delayed and the loading capacity at the point of breakthrough is increased; (3) As n decreases, the time of total saturation is delayed and the loading capacity at the point of breakthrough is increased; (4) As r increases, both the time of total saturation and the loading capacity at the point of breakthrough are increased; (5) adsorption rate influences the time of total saturation strongly but contributes little to the loading capacity.

Performance of a membrane adsorber for trace impurity removal in biotechnology manufacturing

Membrane adsorbers provide an attractive alternative to traditional bead-based chromatography columns used to remove trace impurities in downstream applications. A linearly scalable novel membrane adsorber family designed for the efficient removal of trace impurities from biotherapeutics, are capable of reproducibly achieving greater than 4 log removal of mammalian viruses, 3 log removal of endotoxin and DNA, and greater than 1 log removal of host cell protein. Single use, disposable membrane adsorbers eliminate the need for costly and time consuming column packing and cleaning validation associated with bead-based chromatography systems, and minimize the required number and volume of buffers. A membrane adsorber step reduces process time, floor space, buffer usage, labor cost, and improves manufacturing flexibility. This "process compression" effect is commonly associated with reducing the number of processing steps. The rigid microporous structure of the membrane layers allows for high process flux operation and uniform bed consistency at all processing scales.

Evaluation of nonlinear chromatographic performance by frontal analysis using a simple multi-plate mathematical model

A multi-plate (MP) mathematical model was proposed by frontal analysis to evaluate nonlinear chromatographic performance. One of its advantages is that the parameters may be easily calculated from experimental data. Moreover, there is a good correlation between it and the equilibrium-dispersive (E-D) or Thomas models. This shows that it can well accommodate both types of band broadening that is comprised of either diffusion-dominated processes or kinetic sorption processes. The MP model can well describe experimental breakthrough curves that were obtained from membrane affinity chromatography and column reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Furthermore, the coefficients of mass transfer may be calculated according to the relationship between the MP model and the E-D or Thomas models.

Organic polymer monoliths as stationary phases for capillary HPLC

Modern rigid porous polymer monoliths were conceived as a new class of stationary phases in classical columns in the early 1990s and later extended to the capillary format. These monolithic materials are typically prepared using a simple molding process carried out within the confines of the capillary. Polymerization of a mixture comprising monomers, initiator, and porogenic solvent affords macroporous materials with large through-pores that enable applications in a rapid flow-through mode. Since all the mobile phase must flow through the monolith, convection considerably accelerates mass transport within the monolithic separation medium and improves the separations. As a result, monolithic columns perform well even at very high flow rates. Various mechanisms including thermally and UV initiated free radical polymerization as well as ring opening metathesis copolymerizations were demonstrated for the preparation of monolithic capillary columns. The versatility of these preparation techniques was demonstrated by their use with hydrophobic (styrene, divinylbenzene, butyl methacrylate, ethylene dimethacrylate), hydrophilic (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methacrylamide, methylenebisacrylamide), ionizable (vinylsulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonic acid), and tailor-made (norborn-2-ene, 1,4,4a,5,8,8a-hexahydro-1,4,5,8-exo,endo-dimethanonaphthalene) monomers. Variation of polymerization conditions enables control of the porous properties of the monolith over a broad range and mediates the hydrodynamic properties of the monolithic columns. The applications of polymer-based monolithic capillary columns are demonstrated for numerous separations in the microHPLC mode.

Exploiting immobilized metal affinity membranes for the isolation or purification of therapeutically relevant species

Increasing reports regarding the isolation or purification of biospecies for therapeutic purpose using the immobilized metal affinity chromatography have been presented in recent years. At the same time, membrane chromatography technique has also gained more and more attention for their advantage in speeding the separation process. The immobilized metal affinity membrane technique developed by combining these two techniques may provide an alternative potential tool for separating the therapeutically relevant biospecies. In this review paper, the features of the immobilized metal affinity membranes are discussed and concentrated on three subtopics: membrane matrices, immobilized metal affinity method, and membrane module designs. Several examples of practically applying the immobilized metal affinity membranes on the purification of potential therapeutics reported in the literature are subsequently presented. Lastly, this review also provides an overall evaluation on the possible advantages and problems existing in this technique to point out opportunities and further improvements for more applied development of the immobilized metal affinity membranes.

Porous polymer monoliths: an alternative to classical beads

Porous polymer monoliths are a new category of materials developed during the last decade. These materials are prepared using a simple molding process carried out within the confines of a closed mold. Polymerization of a mixture that typically contains monomers, free-radical initiator, and porogenic solvent affords macroporous materials with large through-pores that enable flow-through applications. The versatility of the preparation technique is demonstrated by its use with hydrophobic, hydrophilic, ionizable, and zwitterionic monomers. The porous properties of the monolith can be controlled over a broad range. These, in turn, determine the hydrodynamic properties of the devices that contain the molded media. Since all the mobile phase must flow through the monolith, the mass transport within the molded material is dominated very much by convection, and the monolithic devices perform well even at very high flow rates. The applications of monolithic materials are demonstrated on the chromatographic separation of biological compounds and synthetic polymers, electrochromatography, gas chromatography, enzyme immobilization, molecular recognition, and in advanced detection systems. Grafting of the pore walls with selected polymers leads to materials with completely changed surface chemistries.

Protein separation using membrane chromatography: opportunities and challenges

Some of the problems associated with packed bed chromatography can be overcome by using synthetic macroporous and microporous membranes as chromatographic media. This paper reviews the current state of development in the area of membrane chromatographic separation of proteins. The transport phenomenon of membrane chromatography is briefly discussed and work done in this area is reviewed. The various separation chemistries which have been utilised for protein separation, along with different applications, are also reviewed. The technical challenges facing membrane chromatography are highlighted and the scope for future work is discussed.

Mathematical analysis of frontal affinity chromatography in particle and membrane configurations

The scaleup and optimization of large-scale affinity-chromatographic operations in the recovery, separation and purification of biochemical components is of major industrial importance. The development of mathematical models to describe affinity-chromatographic processes, and the use of these models in computer programs to predict column performance is an engineering approach that can help to attain these bioprocess engineering tasks successfully. Most affinity-chromatographic separations are operated in the frontal mode, using fixed-bed columns. Purely diffusive and perfusion particles and membrane-based affinity chromatography are among the main commercially available technologies for these separations. For a particular application, a basic understanding of the main similarities and differences between particle and membrane frontal affinity chromatography and how these characteristics are reflected in the transport models is of fundamental relevance. This review presents the basic theoretical considerations used in the development of particle and membrane affinity chromatography models that can be applied in the design and operation of large-scale affinity separations in fixed-bed columns. A transport model for column affinity chromatography that considers column dispersion, particle internal convection, external film resistance, finite kinetic rate, plus macropore and micropore resistances is analyzed as a framework for exploring further the mathematical analysis. Such models provide a general realistic description of almost all practical systems. Specific mathematical models that take into account geometric considerations and transport effects have been developed for both particle and membrane affinity chromatography systems. Some of the most common simplified models, based on linear driving-force (LDF) and equilibrium assumptions, are emphasized. Analytical solutions of the corresponding simplified dimensionless affinity models are presented. Particular methods for estimating the parameters that characterize the mass-transfer and adsorption mechanisms in affinity systems are described.

Affinity membrane chromatography for the analysis and purification of proteins

Affinity chromatography is unique among separation methods as it is the only technique that permits the purification of proteins based on biological functions rather than individual physical or chemical properties. The high specificity of affinity chromatography is due to the strong interaction between the ligand and the proteins of interest. Membrane separation allows the processing of a large amount of sample in a relatively short time owing to its structure, which provides a system with rapid reaction kinetics. The integration of membrane and affinity chromatography provides a number of advantages over traditional affinity chromatography with porous-bead packed columns, especially with regard to time and recovery of activity. This review gives detailed descriptions of materials used as membrane substrates, preparation of basic membranes, coupling of affinity ligands to membrane supports, and categories of affinity membrane cartridges. It also summarizes the applications of cellulose/glycidyl methacrylate composite membranes for proteins separation developed in our laboratory.

Purification of immunoglobulins G by protein A/G affinity membrane chromatography

An affinity membrane grafted with protein A/G or protein A was characterized for human and mouse immunoglobulins G purification. Breakthrough curves up to ligand saturation were measured and used to study the effects of flow velocities, feed solution concentrations and protein A/G versus protein A membranes. Increased flow-rate did not decrease the amount of IgG bound to the membranes. Increased feed solution concentration allowed more IgG to bind prior to breakthrough. Kinetic parameters for immunoglobulins G sorption to immobilized protein A were measured in batch experiments. The static binding capacity was determined to be 6.6 mg ml(-1) membrane volume. Finally, this affinity membrane was used to purify IgG from cell culture supernatant. The electrophoresis of the purified IgG fractions did not show any contaminant.

Mass transfer limitations in protein separations using ion-exchange membranes

Sorption of bovine serum albumin to commercial 150-micron pore size membranes was measured in batch and flow experiments. For residence times of 2-40 min, early and broad breakthrough curves and broad asymmetric elution peaks were observed that depended strongly on flow-rate. System dispersion could not explain the flow-rate dependence. Breakthrough and elution curves were analyzed using new models that included Langmuir sorption, convection and diffusion. From the analysis, film mass transfer resistance was found to be the rate-limiting factor. The maximum allowable pore size that eliminates this limitation was calculated for different molecular weight solutes.

Detection of pathological changes of proteins by peptide mapping after protein digestion by use of oriented immobilized proteinases

Diagnostic methods for detecting gastric diseases using chymotryptic digestion of pepsin are discussed. Peptide maps can be prepared using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Batchwise chromatography by use of membranes with immobilized Tyr(I2) was used for the isolation of pepsin from gastric mucosa extract or from human blood serum. Enzymes immobilized using suitable antibodies or through their sugar moieties can be used for the preparation of peptide maps because such enzymes share good steric accessibility to their active binding sites and possess increased thermal stability. Biospecific adsorption of proteins to immunosorbents combines the simultaneous isolation of these enzymes with their oriented immobilization. Proteins were stabilized by hydrophilization through the attachment of saccharide residues containing galactose residues. These residues could be activated by oxidation using galactose oxidase and subsequently immobilized to hydrazide-containing solid supports.