Merck KGaA
Darmstadt, Germany
Demonstrating
Process Scalability
with Robust and
Turnkey Platforms
Joe Orlando, Ph.D., Principal Scientist
15th February 2018
BioProcessing
Cell culture
Harvest
Clarification
Chromatography
Virus
removal
Tangential flow
filtration
Sterile
filtration
Formulation and
Final Fill
2
BioProcessing
Cell culture
Harvest
Clarification
Chromatography
Virus
removal
Tangential flow
filtration
Sterile
filtration
Formulation and
Final fill
Cell line
development Media optimization Bioreactor
3
Purpose
Platform Upstream
Bioprocess Development
• Foundation blocks
Cell line, DNA vector, cell culture media
& feeds, and bioreactors
• Unit operation integration
Turn-key solution for process
development and scale up
4
Time consuming and resource
intensive processes
• Cell line development
• Bioreactor process development
Challenges to upstream process development
Process consistency
• Expected product titer and quality
• Equivalency at small and large
scale
5
Recombinant
Cell Line
development
6
Comprehensive expression platform & services
Rapid and robust development
CHOZN® GS-/- cell line
GS auxotroph cell line with
clear IP path
Traceability
Documentation
Comprehensive cell line history
documentation to support
regulatory filing
Expression Vector
IP free GS expression vector
suitable for mAbs/recombinants
Process Guidance &
Protocols
Protocols for entire workflow
Media and Feeds
Fed batch & Perfusion media
produced under GMP
Technical Support
Comprehensive product and
process technical support to
ensure your success
CHOZN®
GS
Expression
Platform
7
Optimized cell line development process
Balancing resources and performance
Transfect Selection
via “minipools”
Screen
minipools in
96-well plates
Scale-up
top producing
minipools
Screen
7-day shake
flask
Fed-batch
assay on top
minipools
(shake flask)
Single Cell
Cloning
200 pools 100 pools 100 pools 20 pools
3-4 weeks 1 week 2 weeks 1 week 2 weeks 10-12 weeks
8
CHOZN® GS performance
Performance of 4 CHOZN® GS clones isolated from mini-pools
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Titer(mg/L)
Protein Expression
0
25
50
75
100
125
CellSpecificProductivity
pg/Cell/Day
Cell Specific Productivity (Qp)
9
CHOZN® GS stability
75%75%
High stability
Studies performed on
top ten producing
clones from an
individual project.
80% of CHOZN®
clones are found to
have stable
productivity.
Confidence in consistent production
10
Optimization of
cell culture
media and feed
strategy
11
• Robust and sustainable supply chain
• Proven manufacturability and
consistency
• Multisite manufacturing redundancy
• Scalable GMP ready products
• Animal component free
• High titers with CHOZN® GS and other
host cell lines
EX-CELL® Advanced™ cell culture media & feeds
Paired media for efficient production processes
12
EX-CELL Advanced cell culture media
Optimizing feed strategy
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
7 10 12 14
%ofcontrolpeaktiter
Days in culture
Control 5x5%
3x10%
1x5%, 4x7.5%
1x5%, 3x10%, 1x5%
10x3%
30% improvement
in peak titer
13
Scale up
14
Mobius® Single-Use Bioreactor
Scalable System for Rapid Process Development and Production
15
Limited number of bioreactor runs required for efficient scale up
Shake
Flask
Mobius® 50L
Single-use
bioreactor
Mobius® 3L Single-use
bioreactor
• Duplicate shake flasks were run in each study
• Cells seeded at 5x105 cells/ml
• EX-CELL® Advanced™ Feed schedule: 10% days 3, 5 and 7 & 5% day 10
• Glucose maintained at 5 or 6 g/L
• 3 duplicate runs evaluated
• Seed density and feed strategy consistent with shake flask
• Power 20 W/m3, pH 6.9, dissolved oxygen (DO) 30%, temp 36.8°C
• Parameters evaluated: gas transfer, pH dead band
• 2 single vessel runs evaluated
• Cells seeded and fed as shake flasks
• Equivalent energy dissipation or Power - primary scaling factor
• Power 20 W/m3, pH 6.9, DO 30%, temp 36.8°C
Scalability of the Mobius® Single-use Bioreactors
https://www.emdmillipore.com/Web-US-Site/en_CA/-/USD/ShowDocument-Pronet?id=201610.040
16
Process scalability
Titers similar between bioreactor scales
0
5
10
15
20
25
- 3 6 9 12 15
VCDX1E6
Days
Viable Cell Density
SF
50L
3L
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
- 3 6 9 12 15
Titerg/L
Days
Titer
SF
50L
3L
17
Process predictability
Glycan profiles similar across multiple scales
Shake
Flask
Mobius® 3L Single-use
bioreactor
Mobius® 50L
Single-use
bioreactor
18
Process predictability
Low aggregate profiles across multiple scales
Shake
Flask
Mobius® 3L Single-use
bioreactor
Mobius® 50L
Single-use
bioreactor
0
0.3
0.6
0.9
1.2
50L 3L 3L Shake flask
%Aggregates
19
• A stable CHOZN® GS recombinant expressing
a TNFR Fc-fusion protein was subjected to
scale-up
• Shake flask, 3L, and 50 L bioreactor
conditions were identical to those used for the
benchmark recombinant cell line
• Near equivalent titers were achieved at all
three scales
• Future parameters to potentially address
• Seed density
• Power and agitator speed
• New feeds and strategies
Process consistency – Turn key platform
Scale-up of a recombinant cell line expressing a TNFR Fc-fusion protein
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
SF SF 3L 3L 50L
PeakTiterg/L20
Summary
and
Conclusions
Upstream Bioproduction
• Foundation blocks
Cell line, cell culture media & feeds, and
bioreactors
• Unit integration
Turnkey solution for clone selection,
process development, and scale up
• Speed
Platform development reduces the need for
extensive optimization
• Product consistency
Confidence in process performance and
product quality
21
Questions
22
Joe Orlando, Ph.D.
Principal Scientist
80 Ashby Rd
Bedford, MA 01730
USA
Phone: +1 781 533-5721
Email: joe.rlando@emdmillipore.com
CONtact:
The vibrant M, CHOZN, Cellvento, Mobius, Advanced and EX-CELL are trademarks of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners. Detailed information on trademarks is available via publicly accessible resources.
© 2017 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Demonstrating Process Scalability with Robust and Turnkey Platforms

  • 1.
    Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany Demonstrating ProcessScalability with Robust and Turnkey Platforms Joe Orlando, Ph.D., Principal Scientist 15th February 2018
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Purpose Platform Upstream Bioprocess Development •Foundation blocks Cell line, DNA vector, cell culture media & feeds, and bioreactors • Unit operation integration Turn-key solution for process development and scale up 4
  • 5.
    Time consuming andresource intensive processes • Cell line development • Bioreactor process development Challenges to upstream process development Process consistency • Expected product titer and quality • Equivalency at small and large scale 5
  • 6.
  • 7.
    Comprehensive expression platform& services Rapid and robust development CHOZN® GS-/- cell line GS auxotroph cell line with clear IP path Traceability Documentation Comprehensive cell line history documentation to support regulatory filing Expression Vector IP free GS expression vector suitable for mAbs/recombinants Process Guidance & Protocols Protocols for entire workflow Media and Feeds Fed batch & Perfusion media produced under GMP Technical Support Comprehensive product and process technical support to ensure your success CHOZN® GS Expression Platform 7
  • 8.
    Optimized cell linedevelopment process Balancing resources and performance Transfect Selection via “minipools” Screen minipools in 96-well plates Scale-up top producing minipools Screen 7-day shake flask Fed-batch assay on top minipools (shake flask) Single Cell Cloning 200 pools 100 pools 100 pools 20 pools 3-4 weeks 1 week 2 weeks 1 week 2 weeks 10-12 weeks 8
  • 9.
    CHOZN® GS performance Performanceof 4 CHOZN® GS clones isolated from mini-pools 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 Titer(mg/L) Protein Expression 0 25 50 75 100 125 CellSpecificProductivity pg/Cell/Day Cell Specific Productivity (Qp) 9
  • 10.
    CHOZN® GS stability 75%75% Highstability Studies performed on top ten producing clones from an individual project. 80% of CHOZN® clones are found to have stable productivity. Confidence in consistent production 10
  • 11.
  • 12.
    • Robust andsustainable supply chain • Proven manufacturability and consistency • Multisite manufacturing redundancy • Scalable GMP ready products • Animal component free • High titers with CHOZN® GS and other host cell lines EX-CELL® Advanced™ cell culture media & feeds Paired media for efficient production processes 12
  • 13.
    EX-CELL Advanced cellculture media Optimizing feed strategy 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 7 10 12 14 %ofcontrolpeaktiter Days in culture Control 5x5% 3x10% 1x5%, 4x7.5% 1x5%, 3x10%, 1x5% 10x3% 30% improvement in peak titer 13
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Mobius® Single-Use Bioreactor ScalableSystem for Rapid Process Development and Production 15
  • 16.
    Limited number ofbioreactor runs required for efficient scale up Shake Flask Mobius® 50L Single-use bioreactor Mobius® 3L Single-use bioreactor • Duplicate shake flasks were run in each study • Cells seeded at 5x105 cells/ml • EX-CELL® Advanced™ Feed schedule: 10% days 3, 5 and 7 & 5% day 10 • Glucose maintained at 5 or 6 g/L • 3 duplicate runs evaluated • Seed density and feed strategy consistent with shake flask • Power 20 W/m3, pH 6.9, dissolved oxygen (DO) 30%, temp 36.8°C • Parameters evaluated: gas transfer, pH dead band • 2 single vessel runs evaluated • Cells seeded and fed as shake flasks • Equivalent energy dissipation or Power - primary scaling factor • Power 20 W/m3, pH 6.9, DO 30%, temp 36.8°C Scalability of the Mobius® Single-use Bioreactors https://www.emdmillipore.com/Web-US-Site/en_CA/-/USD/ShowDocument-Pronet?id=201610.040 16
  • 17.
    Process scalability Titers similarbetween bioreactor scales 0 5 10 15 20 25 - 3 6 9 12 15 VCDX1E6 Days Viable Cell Density SF 50L 3L 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 - 3 6 9 12 15 Titerg/L Days Titer SF 50L 3L 17
  • 18.
    Process predictability Glycan profilessimilar across multiple scales Shake Flask Mobius® 3L Single-use bioreactor Mobius® 50L Single-use bioreactor 18
  • 19.
    Process predictability Low aggregateprofiles across multiple scales Shake Flask Mobius® 3L Single-use bioreactor Mobius® 50L Single-use bioreactor 0 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2 50L 3L 3L Shake flask %Aggregates 19
  • 20.
    • A stableCHOZN® GS recombinant expressing a TNFR Fc-fusion protein was subjected to scale-up • Shake flask, 3L, and 50 L bioreactor conditions were identical to those used for the benchmark recombinant cell line • Near equivalent titers were achieved at all three scales • Future parameters to potentially address • Seed density • Power and agitator speed • New feeds and strategies Process consistency – Turn key platform Scale-up of a recombinant cell line expressing a TNFR Fc-fusion protein 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 SF SF 3L 3L 50L PeakTiterg/L20
  • 21.
    Summary and Conclusions Upstream Bioproduction • Foundationblocks Cell line, cell culture media & feeds, and bioreactors • Unit integration Turnkey solution for clone selection, process development, and scale up • Speed Platform development reduces the need for extensive optimization • Product consistency Confidence in process performance and product quality 21
  • 22.
  • 23.
    Joe Orlando, Ph.D. PrincipalScientist 80 Ashby Rd Bedford, MA 01730 USA Phone: +1 781 533-5721 Email: joe.rlando@emdmillipore.com CONtact: The vibrant M, CHOZN, Cellvento, Mobius, Advanced and EX-CELL are trademarks of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Detailed information on trademarks is available via publicly accessible resources. © 2017 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.