Cell culture bioreactor
Inventors
KILPATRICK, Shane Alexander Jaques • Pundsack, Scott Raymond • Ahmed, Moin • LOGAN, Megan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12384997-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A cell culture bioreactor has perfusion membranes and gas transfer membranes or a gas phase in an extra-membrane space in contact with a film on the perfusion membranes. Gas transfer membranes may travel through the perfusion membranes or through the extra-membrane space. Examples with hollow fiber and flat sheet membranes are shown. One or more of the membranes optionally has a responsive surface, for example a thermo-responsive surface. In some examples, membranes are located in X-Y planes while the length of the reactor extends in a Z-direction.
Core Innovation
The patent describes cell-culture bioreactors that combine perfusion membranes with gas-transfer membranes within a plenum containing growth media and growing cells. The configurations include modular membrane assemblies, cylindrical housings, potting structures, and mixer-equipped designs intended to support scale-up by extending the plenum without increasing membrane length. The background section is omitted in the partial content, so the specific problem being solved is not explicitly described in patent.
The bioreactor configurations include a generally cylindrical plenum where perfusion and gas-transfer membranes are held by potting blocks whose arcuate inner faces are formed of solidified potting compound. Another configuration employs parallel hollow-fiber perfusion and gas-transfer membranes arranged in spaced potting layers, wherein the gas-transfer membranes pass through the perfusion potting layers. The description also reports responsive membrane surfaces for cell detachment during harvesting and comparative evaluations of oxygen concentration and cell growth.
Claims Coverage
The claims identify two independent claims directed to cell culture bioreactor configurations, reciting two inventive features.
Cylindrical plenum with perfusion and gas-transfer membranes
The bioreactor includes a generally cylindrical plenum containing perfusion membranes and gas-transfer membranes for growth media and growing cells. The ends of the membranes are held in potting blocks whose arcuate inner faces are formed of solidified potting compound and define portions of the plenum.
Parallel hollow-fiber membranes in spaced potting layers
The bioreactor includes parallel hollow-fiber perfusion membranes and hollow-fiber gas-transfer membranes within a plenum. The gas-transfer membranes are potted in first layers, and the perfusion membranes are potted in spaced-apart second layers between the first layers, with the gas-transfer membranes passing through the second layers.
The independent claims cover a cylindrical potting-block-defined bioreactor plenum and an arrangement of parallel hollow-fiber membranes disposed in spaced potting layers.
Stated Advantages
The reported combined-membrane trial shows markedly improved oxygen transfer.
The reported membrane bioreactor runs sustain E. coli growth.
The growth plots show the MemBio bioreactor achieving higher optical density than flask culture over extended culture periods.
Documented Applications
Cell culture in a bioreactor containing growth media and growing cells, using perfusion and gas-transfer membranes.
E. coli growth in membrane bioreactors.
Cell detachment during harvesting using responsive membrane surfaces.
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