Efficient Optimization of CHO Cell Culture Medium and Feed for Increased Antibody Production

Traditional medium optimization strategies are labor intensive, costly, and time consuming. In this project, high-throughput screening technology was adopted along with statistical design to reduce costs and decrease time for optimizing culture conditions for maximized antibody production from a custom Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell clone.

The presented work includes two phases: phase 1 for basal medium optimization and phase 2 for feed optimization. Phase 1 and phase 2 each have two rounds. A DoE screening methodology was used to perform the round 1 experiments to identify which prototype medium and feed are having the greatest effect on cell growth and productivity. In round 2, a traditional optimization method in 125 mL shaker flask was used to further optimize the top conditions from the round 1 studies.

The use of a well-balanced variety of methods allowed optimization and formulation of chemically defined cell culture medium and feed for a recombinant CHO cell suspension culture with increased maximum cell density and productivity in a relatively short amount of time. In this case, a savings of 50% of the original scoped timeline was achieved. Productivity levels near 3.7 g/L were obtained with optimized conditions.