Sterilizable Adapter for Cell Culture Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biotechnological processes for cell culture optimization require numerous bioreactors and extensive time and resources due to the need for multiple parameter adjustments, leading to inefficient and costly process development, especially under continuous culture conditions.
Innovation Solution
A sterilizable adapter for cell culture vessels that includes a body, upper connection, ports, ventilation passage, and cell retention or separation devices, allowing for cell cultivation under batch, fed-batch, and continuous conditions using standard vessels, reducing equipment and media needs, and enabling reproducible and comparable conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple bioreactors are used to test different parameters simultaneously, then process development efficiency is improved, but equipment cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is designed to be universally compatible with standard cell culture vessels (flasks, bottles, bags) and can perform multiple functions including continuous perfusion, sampling, feeding, and parameter monitoring. This allows a single adapter system to replace multiple specialized bioreactors, enabling parallel parameter testing without proportionally increasing equipment complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the complex bioreactor functions into modular components: the adapter handles perfusion and sampling functions while the standard cell culture vessels provide the cultivation environment. This segmentation allows the complex functions to be concentrated in a single adaptable device rather than distributed across multiple complex bioreactors
2Device complexity
If standard cell culture vessels are used instead of fully equipped bioreactors, then cost and equipment needs are reduced, but control over culture conditions and functionality are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter acts as an intermediary device that bridges standard cell culture vessels and the external control systems. It provides ports for nutrient feeding, sampling, and perfusion while maintaining the simplicity of standard vessels, thus enabling bioreactor-level functionality without requiring bioreactor-level complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter enables dynamic culture conditions by allowing continuous perfusion and real-time parameter adjustment. The system can transition between batch, fed-batch, and continuous perfusion modes, providing the adaptability of fully equipped bioreactors while using simple standard vessels
3Productivity
If continuous perfusion culture conditions are implemented, then productivity and cell density are improved, but equipment complexity and operational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex cell retention and separation functions are extracted as optional modular components that can be added to the adapter when perfusion is needed. The core adapter provides basic perfusion capability, while advanced cell retention requires additional separate devices, allowing users to pay only for the complexity they need
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a sterilizable adapter for a cell culture vessel comprising a body, an upper connection and/or a lid, at least one port, a ventilation passage, a lower internal connection suitable for connection to a cell culture vessel and a cell retention device and/or a cell separation device as well as a device comprising said sterilizable adapter and a method for cell cultivation using said sterilizable adapter.