Experience in scale-up of homogeneous perfusion culture for hybridomas

A perfusion system for production of monoclonal antibodies was developed using an externally-mounted, hollow-fibre cartridge. The experimental apparatus was operated for 420 h and demonstrated increased steady-state viable cell concentration with increase in perfusion rate. Antibody titres were up to three times those measured for batch cultures and specific antibody productivity was doubled.The procedure was successfully scaled to a 10 dm³ system which produced antibody under conditions of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). A calculation of productivity between the scaled perfusion system and 260 dm³ batch cultures resulted in comparable antibody production, whereas the perfusion allowed a halving in medium utilisation. Reactivity assays conducted on the purified antibody from both batch and perfusion cultures showed no evidence of proteolysis or altered antibody activity in the final perfusion product. This study provides additional support for the use of homogeneous perfusion cultures in production of monoclonal antibodies under GMP conditions.