Membrane technology for purification of therapeutic proteins

Membrane systems are used throughout the downstream purification in the commercial production of high value therapeutic proteins. Over the last two decades, new membranes, modules, and systems have been developed specifically to meet the requirements of the biotechnology industry. These developments have been facilitated by an improved fundamental understanding of: (1) the effects of electrostatic interactions and concentration polarization on protein transmission during ultrafiltration and (2) the role of membrane morphology on protein fouling during both sterile and virus filtration. This perspective highlights some of the key work in this area and provides insights into possible future improvements in membrane technology for the purification of recombinant therapeutic proteins. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;103: 227–230. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.