Benchmarking of scale-X™ bioreactor system in lentivirus and adenovirus production.

We have previously produced viral vectors (lentiviral vector, adenoviral vector and AAV) in small and in commercial scale in adherent cells using PALL's fixed-bed iCELLis® bioreactor. Recently, a company called Univercells has launched a new fixed-bed bioreactor with the same cell growth surface matrix material but with different fixed-bed structure than is used in iCELLis bioreactor. We sought to compare the new scale-X™ hydro bioreactor (2.4m²) and iCELLis Nano system (2.67m²) in order to see if the difference has any effect on cell growth or lentiviral vector and adenoviral vector productivity. Runs were performed using parameters optimized for viral vector production in iCELLis Nano bioreactor. Cell growth was monitored by counting nuclei, as well as by following glucose consumption and lactate production. In both bioreactor systems cells grew well, and the cell distribution was found quite homogeneous in scale-X bioreactor. Univercells scale-X bioreactor was proven to be at least equally efficient or even improved in both lentiviral vector and adeno viral vector production. Based on the results, the same protocol and parameters used in viral vector production in iCELLis bioreactor can also be successfully used for the production in scale-X bioreactor system.