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Hengelbrock A, Probst F, Baukmann S, Uhl A, Tschorn N, Stitz J, Schmidt A, Strube J. Digital Twin for Continuous Production of Virus-like Particles toward Autonomous Operation. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:34990-35013. [PMID: 39157157 PMCID: PMC11325504 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c04985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Lentiviral vector and virus-like particle (VLP) manufacturing have been published in fed-batch upstream and batch downstream modes before. Batch downstream and continuous upstream in perfusion mode were reported as well. This study exemplifies development and validation steps for a digital twin combining a physical-chemical-based mechanistic model for all unit operations with a process analytical technology strategy in order to show the efforts and benefits of autonomous operation approaches for manufacturing scale. As the general models are available from various other biologic manufacturing studies, the main step is model calibration for the human embryo kidney cell-based VLPs with experimental quantitative validation within the Quality-by-Design (QbD) approach, including risk assessment to define design and control space. For continuous operation in perfusion mode, the main challenge is the efficient separation of large particle manifolds for VLPs and cells, including cell debris, which is of similar size. Here, innovative tangential flow filtration operations are needed to avoid fast blocking with low mechanical stress pumps. A twofold increase of productivity was achieved using simulation case studies. This increase is similar to improvements previously described for other entities like plasmid DNAs, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and single-chain fragments of variability (scFv) fragments. The advantages of applying a digital twin for an advanced process control strategy have proven additional productivity gains of 20% at 99.9% reliability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Hengelbrock
- Institute
for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal
University of Technology, Clausthal 38678, Zellerfeld, Germany
| | - Finja Probst
- Institute
for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal
University of Technology, Clausthal 38678, Zellerfeld, Germany
| | - Simon Baukmann
- Institute
for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal
University of Technology, Clausthal 38678, Zellerfeld, Germany
| | - Alexander Uhl
- Institute
for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal
University of Technology, Clausthal 38678, Zellerfeld, Germany
| | - Natalie Tschorn
- Faculty
of Applied Natural Sciences, Technische
Hochschule Köln, Leverkusen 51379, Germany
| | - Jörn Stitz
- Faculty
of Applied Natural Sciences, Technische
Hochschule Köln, Leverkusen 51379, Germany
| | - Axel Schmidt
- Institute
for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal
University of Technology, Clausthal 38678, Zellerfeld, Germany
| | - Jochen Strube
- Institute
for Separation and Process Technology, Clausthal
University of Technology, Clausthal 38678, Zellerfeld, Germany
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2
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Wolf T, Calisan KK, Stitz J, Barbe S. The effects of high shear rates on the average hydrodynamic diameter measured in biomimetic HIV Gag virus-like particle dispersions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1367405. [PMID: 38860137 PMCID: PMC11163053 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1367405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
HIV Gag virus-like particles (HIV Gag VLPs) are promising HIV vaccine candidates. In the literature, they are often described as shear-sensitive particles, and authors usually recommend the operation of tangential flow filtration (TFF) gently at shear rates below 4,000 s-1 to 6,000 s-1. This in turn poses a severe limitation to the performance of TFF-mediated concentration of VLPs, which would be substantially enhanced by working at higher shear rates. To our knowledge, studies examining the shear sensitivity of HIV Gag VLPs and providing detailed information and evidence for the fragility of these particles have not been conducted yet. Thus, we investigated the effect of high shear rates on the colloidal stability of mosaic VLPs (Mos-VLPs) as relevant examples for HIV Gag VLPs. For this purpose, Mos-VLPs were exposed to different shear rates ranging from 3,395 s-1 to 22, 365 s-1 for 2 h. The average hydrodynamic diameter (AHD) and the polydispersity index (PDI) of the associated particle size distribution were used as stability indicators and measured after the treatment and during storage through dynamic light scattering. At high shear rates, we observed an increase in both AHD and PDI during the storage of HIV Mos1.Gag VLPs (bVLP-without envelope proteins) and Mos1.Gag + Mos2S.Env VLPs (eVLP-with envelope proteins). eVLPs exhibited higher colloidal stability than bVLPs, and we discuss the potential stabilizing role of envelope proteins. We finally demonstrated that the dispersion medium also has a considerable impact on the stability of Mos-VLPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Wolf
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, Leverkusen, Germany
- Institue of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerim Kadir Calisan
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Jörn Stitz
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Stéphan Barbe
- Research Group Medical Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, Leverkusen, Germany
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3
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Lebendiker M. Purification and Quality Control of Recombinant Proteins Expressed in Mammalian Cells: A Practical Review. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2810:329-353. [PMID: 38926289 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3878-1_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
In the recent years, there has been a rapid development of new technologies and strategies when it comes to protein purification and quality control (QC), but the basic technologies for these processes go back a long way, with many improvements over the past few decades. The purpose of this chapter is to review these approaches, as well as some other topics such as the advantages and disadvantages of various purification methods for intracellular or extracellular proteins, the most effective and widely used genetically engineered affinity tags, solubility-enhancing tags, and specific proteases for removal of nontarget sequences. Affinity chromatography (AC), like Protein A or G resins for the recovery of antibodies or Fc fusion proteins or immobilized metals for the recovery of histidine-tagged proteins, will be discussed along with other conventional chromatography techniques: ion exchange (IEC), hydrophobic exchange (HEC), mixed mode (MMC), size exclusion (SEC), and ultrafiltration (UF) systems. How to select and combine these different technologies for the purification of any given protein and the minimal criteria for QC characterization of the purity, homogeneity, identity, and integrity of the final product will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Lebendiker
- Protein Expression and Purification Facilities, The Wolfson Centre for Applied Structural Biology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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4
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Chauhan S, Khasa YP. Challenges and Opportunities in the Process Development of Chimeric Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1828. [PMID: 38140232 PMCID: PMC10747103 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are integral to human life to protect them from life-threatening diseases. However, conventional vaccines often suffer limitations like inefficiency, safety concerns, unavailability for non-culturable microbes, and genetic variability among pathogens. Chimeric vaccines combine multiple antigen-encoding genes of similar or different microbial strains to protect against hyper-evolving drug-resistant pathogens. The outbreaks of dreadful diseases have led researchers to develop economical chimeric vaccines that can cater to a large population in a shorter time. The process development begins with computationally aided omics-based approaches to design chimeric vaccines. Furthermore, developing these vaccines requires optimizing upstream and downstream processes for mass production at an industrial scale. Owing to the complex structures and complicated bioprocessing of evolving pathogens, various high-throughput process technologies have come up with added advantages. Recent advancements in high-throughput tools, process analytical technology (PAT), quality-by-design (QbD), design of experiments (DoE), modeling and simulations, single-use technology, and integrated continuous bioprocessing have made scalable production more convenient and economical. The paradigm shift to innovative strategies requires significant attention to deal with major health threats at the global scale. This review outlines the challenges and emerging avenues in the bioprocess development of chimeric vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yogender Pal Khasa
- Department of Microbiology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India;
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5
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Boix-Besora A, Gòdia F, Cervera L. Gag Virus-like Particles Functionalized with SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Generation, Characterization and Recognition by COVID-19 Convalescent Patients' Sera. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1641. [PMID: 38005972 PMCID: PMC10675557 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The robustness, safety, versatility, and high immunogenicity of virus-like particles (VLPs) make them a promising approach for the generation of vaccines against a broad range of pathogens. VLPs are recombinant macromolecular structures that closely mimic the native conformation of viruses without carrying viral genetic material. Particularly, HIV-1 Gag-based VLPs are a suitable platform for the presentation of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein on their surface. In this context, this work studies the effect of different rationally engineered mutations of the S protein to improve some of its characteristics. The studied variants harbored mutations such as proline substitutions for S stabilization, D614G from the early dominant pandemic form, the elimination of the S1/S2 furin cleavage site to improve S homogeneity, the suppression of a retention motif to favor its membrane localization, and cysteine substitutions to increase its immunogenicity and avoid potential undesired antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effects. The influence of the mutations on VLP expression was studied, as well as their immunogenic potential, by testing the recognition of the generated VLP variants by COVID-19 convalescent patients' sera. The results of this work are conceived to give insights on the selection of S protein candidates for their use as immunogens and to showcase the potential of VLPs as carriers for antigen presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Boix-Besora
- Grup d’Enginyeria de Bioprocessos i Biocatàlisi Aplicada ENG4BIO, Escola d’Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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6
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Dekevic G, Tertel T, Tasto L, Schmidt D, Giebel B, Czermak P, Salzig D. A Bioreactor-Based Yellow Fever Virus-like Particle Production Process with Integrated Process Analytical Technology Based on Transient Transfection. Viruses 2023; 15:2013. [PMID: 37896790 PMCID: PMC10612092 DOI: 10.3390/v15102013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Yellow Fever (YF) is a severe disease that, while preventable through vaccination, lacks rapid intervention options for those already infected. There is an urgent need for passive immunization techniques using YF-virus-like particles (YF-VLPs). To address this, we successfully established a bioreactor-based production process for YF-VLPs, leveraging transient transfection and integrating Process Analytical Technology. A cornerstone of this approach was the optimization of plasmid DNA (pDNA) production to a yield of 11 mg/L using design of experiments. Glucose, NaCl, yeast extract, and a phosphate buffer showed significant influence on specific pDNA yield. The preliminary work for VLP-production in bioreactor showed adjustments to the HEK cell density, the polyplex formation duration, and medium exchanges effectively elevated transfection efficiencies. The additive Pluronic F-68 was neutral in its effects, and anti-clumping agents (ACA) adversely affected the transfection process. Finally, we established the stirred-tank bioreactor process with integrated dielectric spectroscopy, which gave real-time insight in relevant process steps, e.g., cell growth, polyplex uptake, and harvest time. We confirmed the presence and integrity of YF-VLP via Western blot, imaging flow cytometry measurement, and transmission electron microscopy. The YF-VLP production process can serve as a platform to produce VLPs as passive immunizing agents against other neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Dekevic
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
| | - Tobias Tertel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 179, 45147 Essen, Germany; (T.T.); (B.G.)
| | - Lars Tasto
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
| | - Deborah Schmidt
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
| | - Bernd Giebel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 179, 45147 Essen, Germany; (T.T.); (B.G.)
| | - Peter Czermak
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Denise Salzig
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (G.D.); (L.T.); (D.S.); (P.C.)
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7
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Lorenzo E, Miranda L, Gòdia F, Cervera L. Downstream process design for Gag HIV-1 based virus-like particles. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:2672-2684. [PMID: 37148527 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles-based vaccines have been gaining interest in recent years. The manufacturing of these particles includes their production by cell culture followed by their purification to meet the requirements of its final use. The presence of host cell extracellular vesicles represents a challenge for better virus-like particles purification, because both share similar characteristics which hinders their separation. The present study aims to compare some of the most used downstream processing technologies for capture and purification of virus-like particles. Four steps of the purification process were studied, including a clarification step by depth filtration and filtration, an intermediate step by tangential flow filtration or multimodal chromatography, a capture step by ion exchange, heparin affinity and hydrophobic interaction chromatography and finally, a polishing step by size exclusion chromatography. In each step, the yields were evaluated by percentage of recovery of the particles of interest, purity, and elimination of main contaminants. Finally, a complete purification train was implemented using the best results obtained in each step. A final concentration of 1.40 × 1010 virus-like particles (VLPs)/mL with a purity of 64% after the polishing step was achieved, with host cell DNA and protein levels complaining with regulatory standards, and an overall recovery of 38%. This work has resulted in the development of a purification process for HIV-1 Gag-eGFP virus-like particles suitable for scale-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elianet Lorenzo
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Laia Miranda
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- University College London, London, UK
| | - Francesc Gòdia
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Laura Cervera
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química Biològica i Ambiental, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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8
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Mussagy CU, Kot A, Dufossé L, Gonçalves CNDP, Pereira JFB, Santos-Ebinuma VC, Raghavan V, Pessoa A. Microbial astaxanthin: from bioprocessing to the market recognition. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s00253-023-12586-1. [PMID: 37233757 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12586-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The attractive biological properties and health benefits of natural astaxanthin (AXT), including its antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties, have garnered significant attention from academia and industry seeking natural alternatives to synthetic products. AXT, a red ketocarotenoid, is mainly produced by yeast, microalgae, wild or genetically engineered bacteria. Unfortunately, the large fraction of AXT available in the global market is still obtained using non-environmentally friendly petrochemical-based products. Due to the consumers concerns about synthetic AXT, the market of microbial-AXT is expected to grow exponentially in succeeding years. This review provides a detailed discussion of AXT's bioprocessing technologies and applications as a natural alternative to synthetic counterparts. Additionally, we present, for the first time, a very comprehensive segmentation of the global AXT market and suggest research directions to improve microbial production using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. KEY POINTS: • Unlock the power of microorganisms for high value AXT production. • Discover the secrets to cost-effective microbial AXT processing. • Uncover the future opportunities in the AXT market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassamo U Mussagy
- Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas Y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, 2260000, Quillota, Chile.
| | - Anna Kot
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Laurent Dufossé
- Chemistry and Biotechnology of Natural Products, CHEMBIOPRO, ESIROI Agroalimentaire, Université de La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, CEDEX 9, 97744, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Carmem N D P Gonçalves
- CIEPQPF, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Pólo II - Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge F B Pereira
- CIEPQPF, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Pólo II - Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Valeria C Santos-Ebinuma
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, 14800-903, Brazil
| | - Vijaya Raghavan
- Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Department of Pharmaceutical-Biochemical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Dash S, Farnós O, Yang Z, Perumal AS, Chaves Fulber JP, Venereo-Sánchez A, Leclerc D, Kamen AA. A rapid procedure to generate stably transfected HEK293 suspension cells for recombinant protein manufacturing: Yield improvements, bioreactor production and downstream processing. Protein Expr Purif 2023; 210:106295. [PMID: 37201590 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2023.106295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The human cell line HEK293 is one of the preferred choices for manufacturing therapeutic proteins and viral vectors for human applications. Despite its increased use, it is still considered in disadvantage in production aspects compared to cell lines such as the CHO cell line. We provide here a simple workflow for the rapid generation of stably transfected HEK293 cells expressing an engineered variant of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) carrying a coupling domain for linkage to VLPs through a bacterial transpeptidase-sortase (SrtA). To generate stable suspension cells expressing the RBD-SrtA, a single two plasmids transfection was performed, with hygromycin selection. The suspension HEK293 were grown in adherent conditions, with 20% FBS supplementation. These transfection conditions increased cell survival, allowing the selection of stable cell pools, which was otherwise not possible with standard procedures in suspension. Six pools were isolated, expanded and successfully re-adapted to suspension with a gradual increase of serum-free media and agitation. The complete process lasted four weeks. Stable expression with viability over 98% was verified for over two months in culture, with cell passages every 4-5 days. With process intensification, RBD-SrtA yields reached 6.4 μg/mL and 13.4 μg/mL in fed-batch and perfusion-like cultures, respectively. RBD-SrtA was further produced in fed-batch stirred tank 1L-bioreactors, reaching 10-fold higher yields than perfusion flasks. The trimeric antigen displayed the conformational structure and functionality expected. This work provides a series of steps for stable cell pool development using suspension HEK293 cells aimed at the scalable production of recombinant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shantoshini Dash
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Omar Farnós
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Zeyu Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0E9, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Denis Leclerc
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Infectious Disease Research Center, Laval University, 2705 boul. Laurier, Quebec City, PQ, G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Amine A Kamen
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0E9, Canada.
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10
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Yang Z, Xu X, Silva CAT, Farnos O, Venereo-Sanchez A, Toussaint C, Dash S, González-Domínguez I, Bernier A, Henry O, Kamen A. Membrane Chromatography-Based Downstream Processing for Cell-Culture Produced Influenza Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081310. [PMID: 36016198 PMCID: PMC9414887 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
New influenza strains are constantly emerging, causing seasonal epidemics and raising concerns to the risk of a new global pandemic. Since vaccination is an effective method to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce its severity, the development of robust bioprocesses for producing pandemic influenza vaccines is exceptionally important. Herein, a membrane chromatography-based downstream processing platform with a demonstrated industrial application potential was established. Cell culture-derived influenza virus H1N1/A/PR/8/34 was harvested from benchtop bioreactor cultures. For the clarification of the cell culture broth, a depth filtration was selected as an alternative to centrifugation. After inactivation, an anion exchange chromatography membrane was used for viral capture and further processing. Additionally, two pandemic influenza virus strains, the H7N9 subtype of the A/Anhui/1/2013 and H3N2/A/Hong Kong/8/64, were successfully processed through similar downstream process steps establishing optimized process parameters. Overall, 41.3–62.5% viral recovery was achieved, with the removal of 86.3–96.5% host cell DNA and 95.5–99.7% of proteins. The proposed membrane chromatography purification is a scalable and generic method for the processing of different influenza strains and is a promising alternative to the current industrial purification of influenza vaccines based on ultracentrifugation methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Yang
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Xingge Xu
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Cristina A. T. Silva
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Omar Farnos
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Alina Venereo-Sanchez
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Cécile Toussaint
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Shantoshini Dash
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Irene González-Domínguez
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Alice Bernier
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Olivier Henry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Amine Kamen
- Viral Vectors and Vaccines Bioprocessing Group, Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Correspondence:
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11
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Process Design and Optimization towards Digital Twins for HIV-Gag VLP Production in HEK293 Cells, including Purification. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10020419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite great efforts to develop a vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS if untreated, no approved HIV vaccine is available to date. A promising class of vaccines are virus-like particles (VLPs), which were shown to be very effective for the prevention of other diseases. In this study, production of HI-VLPs using different 293F cell lines, followed by a three-step purification of HI-VLPs, was conducted. The quality-by-design-based process development was supported by process analytical technology (PAT). The HI-VLP concentration increased 12.5-fold while >80% purity was achieved. This article reports on the first general process development and optimization up to purification. Further research will focus on process development for polishing and formulation up to lyophilization. In addition, process analytical technology and process modeling for process automation and optimization by digital twins in the context of quality-by-design framework will be developed.
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