Automated process monitoring of monoclonal antibody production.

Antifibronectin, monoclonal antibody was monitored through 52 h of production. Samples were automatically drawn from a bioreactor into the injection valve of an HPLC system without prior sample preparation. The hybridoma cell line was nonadherent, so whole cells were injected directly onto the perfusable protein A affinity column. There was only a modest column back pressure (ca. 1700 psi at a linear flow rate of 1.5 cm/s) after over 75 injections over the 52-h experiment. These experiments demonstrate the utility of high-speed chromatography for rapid process monitoring.