Single-Use Upstream Processing: Ultimus® Film Delivers Comparable Cell Growth Performance To Glass

Single-use technologies can improve efficiency, productivity, reduce capital investment, and minimize cross-contamination in biomanufacturing. For successful implementation, single-use containers made with plastics and polymers must be compatible with bioprocessing requirements such as sterilization by irradiation. However, many bioprocessing films contain an antioxidant, Irgafos® 168, that releases a by-product that adversely impacts growth of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, following gamma irradiation.  

Ultimus® film has a fluid contact layer free of Irgafos® 168, is free of animal origin components, and provides the robustness and leak resistance required for large volume bioprocessing applications, such as bioreactors.

This whitepaper explores cell growth, productivity and protein quality attributes of multiple CHO cell lines grown in both batch and fed batch cultures using media stored in glass containers or irradiated single-use bags made with Ultimus® film.

In each study, irrespective of the cell culture media container, performance was equivalent. These results confirm Ultimus® film is an ideal single use container film for bioreactor applications and can be used to minimize the risk of contamination while enabling optimal cell growth and productivity.