Perfecting the Climate for Pharmaceutical Microbes
A new gas analysis device measures the activity of bacteria or cells with much greater precision than was previously the case, thus making the biological production of pharmaceutical substances such as insulin more efficient.
A new gas analysis device from Siemens makes the biological production of pharmaceutical products up to 30 percent more efficient. The device accomplishes this by ensuring ideal growth conditions at all times for the cells or bacteria that produce active ingredients. The better the microbes feel in reactors (known as fermenters), the more they produce. Moreover, the device helps to reduce the production of undesirable byproducts as well. The condition of the organisms can be determined by analyzing how much oxygen they convert into carbon dioxide within a certain amount of time. The new analytical device, Siprocess GA700, measures these characteristic values with much greater precision than was previously possible. This enables operators to regulate fermentation processes more precisely than in the past and to increase the yield and quality of production.
The pharmaceutical industry operates fermenters that can hold tens of thousands of liters of liquid. Such liquids contain bacteria, yeast cells or animal cells that produce the active ingredients in products such as insulin or certain types of antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs. However, microbes and other producers are extremely sensitive to their environments. Changes in the composition of the gas in the fermenter, for example, can slow down the microbes’ metabolism or even kill off the organisms. Animal cells have a particularly low level of tolerance against fluctuating oxygen concentrations in fermenters.
Subtraction for High-Precision Measurements
The most important characteristic value for the optimal metabolism of fermentation-associated organisms is respiratory quotient (RQ). It describes the ratio of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by organisms during a given amount of time to the oxygen (O2) they consume during the same period. The goal is to automatically regulate the fermentation process on the basis of the RQ, which means the gas composition of the incoming air or the amount of nutrient must be adjusted as needed.
Unfortunately, however, associated measurement regimes have covered a relatively broad range of gas concentrations to date (e.g. 0 – 25 percent in the case of oxygen), making it impossible to finely differentiate very small concentrations of gases.
Siemens’ Siprocess GA700 uses differential measurements to produce far more precise results. To accomplish this, the system not only measures outgoing air, but also the air flowing into the fermenter. It then subtracts the values of the oxygen concentration in the incoming and outgoing air for a specific time period as well as the value of the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust. This subtraction process leads to far more precise measurements of O2 consumption and CO2 emissions. In addition, it prevents external influences such as fluctuations in the gas composition of the incoming air from distorting measurement results.
The new measurement method is the fastest and most precise analysis technique for oxygen uptake rates (OUR) and carbon emission rates (CER) that is currently available. The system’s outstanding performance is demonstrated by its high resolution down to the smallest measurement ranges. The method provides very accurate results for even minimal concentrations, enabling the fermenter process to be regulated much more precisely and efficiently than was previously the case.
Contact:
Norbert Aschenbrenner
Editorial Office
Siemens AG
norbert.aschenbrenner@siemens.com
Original Internet Article:
https://www.siemens.com/innovation/en/home/pictures-of-the-future/industry-and-automation/digital-factory-efficient-production-of-biopharmaceuticals.html
Pictures of the Future
https://www.siemens.com/innovation/en/home/pictures-of-the-future.html
Die semantisch ähnlichsten Pressemitteilungen im idw
