Nova Biomedical and Terumo BCT Collaborate on Automated Cell Culture Sensing

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 24 Sep 2024

Nova Biomedical (Waltham, MA, USA) and Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Lakewood, CO, USA) have entered into a collaboration to enable automated cell culture sensing with Terumo BCT's Quantum Flex Cell Expansion System through integration with Nova's BioProfile FLEX2 Automated Cell Culture Analyzer. By adding the FLEX2's online automated sampling capabilities, it is possible to automatically sample and analyze a wide array of analytes in Quantum Flex and provide data in near-real time, unlocking more efficient process development and control.

More so than traditional therapeutics, cell-based therapies are significantly defined by the processes used to create them. This makes monitoring, control, and optimization of processes — especially during the cell culture stage — a critical part of developing and producing therapeutic doses. Quantum Flex is an automated and functionally closed-cell expansion system purpose-built to meet the needs of cell therapy developers throughout their commercialization journey, from process development through manufacturing. The platform has the flexibility to process autologous and allogeneic applications, as well as viral vector and exosome production, across multiple bioreactor sizes, allowing for process efficiencies in batch size. The Quantum Flex system's hollow-fiber perfusion technology provides a cell culture environment where cells gain continuous access to fresh media, waste removal, and gas exchange, ensuring optimal conditions for expansion. Quantum Flex also features advanced software to support cGMP compliance, with user authentication, batch records, and fleet management features allowing for easy deployment of protocols to multiple systems.

Image: The integration of Nova’s BioProfile FLEX2 will enable automated cell culture analyses for process development through commercial manufacturing with Quantum Flex (Photo courtesy of Terumo BCT)

Incorporating automated cell culture sampling functions for comprehensive parameter analysis will help make Quantum Flex an even more compelling platform, helping developers build more effective workflows as they bring their therapies to market. The FLEX2 delivers online monitoring of gas, total and viable cell density, and cell viability by trypan blue dye exclusion method, and osmolality by freezing point depression, as well as comprehensive analysis of multiple key cell culture parameters. This will allow for superior process development, monitoring, and optimization of cell culture on Quantum Flex, with the potential to reduce reagent usage and culture time and improve outputs.

"Our collaboration with Terumo BCT will give more developers access to automated sensing capabilities through a leading cell culture platform," said Matthew McRae, Sales Product Line Manager at Nova. "The FLEX2 is a robust, synergistic technology for cell culture platforms like Quantum Flex, allowing for more improved insight and control from process development to commercial manufacturing."

"Our cell therapy customers have stressed the importance of adding automated cell culture monitoring features to Quantum Flex," added Veerle d'Haenens, General Manager, Global Therapy Innovations at Terumo BCT. "Nova Biomedical is a strong partner to help us integrate these features for better process development and characterization. It will also improve monitoring and control during production, given the FLEX2's comprehensive analyte set and demonstrated performance in the cell therapy space."