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Hood T, Slingsby F, Sandner V, Geis W, Schmidberger T, Bevan N, Vicard Q, Hengst J, Springuel P, Dianat N, Rafiq QA. A quality-by-design approach to improve process understanding and optimise the production and quality of CAR-T cells in automated stirred-tank bioreactors. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1335932. [PMID: 38655265 PMCID: PMC11035805 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1335932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Ex vivo genetically-modified cellular immunotherapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies, have generated significant clinical and commercial outcomes due to their unparalleled response rates against relapsed and refractory blood cancers. However, the development and scalable manufacture of these novel therapies remains challenging and further process understanding and optimisation is required to improve product quality and yield. In this study, we employ a quality-by-design (QbD) approach to systematically investigate the impact of critical process parameters (CPPs) during the expansion step on the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of CAR-T cells. Utilising the design of experiments (DOE) methodology, we investigated the impact of multiple CPPs, such as number of activations, culture seeding density, seed train time, and IL-2 concentration, on CAR-T CQAs including, cell yield, viability, metabolism, immunophenotype, T cell differentiation, exhaustion and CAR expression. Initial studies undertaken in G-Rex® 24 multi-well plates demonstrated that the combination of a single activation step and a shorter, 3-day, seed train resulted in significant CAR-T yield and quality improvements, specifically a 3-fold increase in cell yield, a 30% reduction in exhaustion marker expression and more efficient metabolism when compared to a process involving 2 activation steps and a 7-day seed train. Similar findings were observed when the CPPs identified in the G-Rex® multi-well plates studies were translated to a larger-scale automated, controlled stirred-tank bioreactor (Ambr® 250 High Throughput) process. The single activation step and reduced seed train time resulted in a similar, significant improvement in CAR-T CQAs including cell yield, quality and metabolism in the Ambr® 250 High Throughput bioreactor, thereby validating the findings of the small-scale studies and resulting in significant process understanding and improvements. This study provides a methodology for the systematic investigation of CAR-T CPPs and the findings demonstrate the scope and impact of enhanced process understanding for improved CAR-T production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Hood
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fern Slingsby
- Product Excellence Bioreactor Technology, Sartorius Stedim UK Limited, Epsom, United Kingdom
| | - Viktor Sandner
- Digital Solutions, Sartorius Stedim Austria GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Winfried Geis
- Digital Solutions, Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Timo Schmidberger
- Digital Solutions, Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Nicola Bevan
- BioAnalytics Application Development, Essen BioScience Ltd. (Part of the Sartorius Group), Royston, United Kingdom
| | - Quentin Vicard
- Cell Culture Technology Marketing, Sartorius Stedim France S.A.S., Aubagne, France
| | - Julia Hengst
- Cell Culture Technology Marketing, Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Pierre Springuel
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Noushin Dianat
- Cell Culture Technology Marketing, Sartorius Stedim France S.A.S., Aubagne, France
| | - Qasim A. Rafiq
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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2
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Iurashev D, Jones PA, Andreev N, Wang Y, Iwata-Kajihara T, Kraus B, Hernandez Bort JA. Scaling strategy for cell and gene therapy bioreactors based on turbulent parameters. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300235. [PMID: 37906704 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
So far, power input has been used as the main parameter for bioreactor scale-up/-down in upstream process development and manufacturing. The rationale is that maintaining a consistent power input per unit volume should result in comparable mixing times at different scales. However, shear generated from turbulent flow may compromise the integrity of non-robust cells such as those used during the production of cell and gene therapies, which may lead to low product quality and yield. Of particular interest is the Kolmogorov length parameter that characterizes the smallest turbulent eddies in a mixture. To understand its impact on scale-up/-down decisions, the distribution of Kolmogorov length along the trajectory flow of individual particles in bioreactors was estimated in silico with the help of computational fluid dynamics simulations. Specifically, in this study the scalability of iPSC-derived lymphocyte production and the impact of shear stress across various differentiation stages were investigated. The study used bioreactors of volumes from 0.1 to 10 L, which correspond to the scales most used for parameter optimization. Our findings, which align with in vitro runs, help determine optimal agitation speed and shear stress adjustments for process transfer between scales and bioreactor types, using vertically-oriented wheel and pitched-blade impellers. In addition, empirical models specific to the bioreactors used in this study were developed. The provided computational analysis in combination with experimental data supports selection of appropriate bioreactors and operating conditions for various cell and gene therapy process steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro Iurashev
- Gene Therapy Process Development, Baxalta Innovations GmbH, a part of Takeda companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | | | - Nadejda Andreev
- Cell Therapy, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yana Wang
- Cell Therapy, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tomoko Iwata-Kajihara
- Cell Therapy Process Development and Manufacturing, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Japan, Muraoka-Higashi, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Barbara Kraus
- Gene Therapy Process Development, Baxalta Innovations GmbH, a part of Takeda companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
| | - Juan A Hernandez Bort
- Gene Therapy Process Development, Baxalta Innovations GmbH, a part of Takeda companies, Orth an der Donau, Austria
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3
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Kaiphanliam KM, Fraser-Hevlin B, Barrow ES, Davis WC, Van Wie BJ. Development of a centrifugal bioreactor for rapid expansion of CD8 cytotoxic T cells for use in cancer immunotherapy. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3388. [PMID: 37694563 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the current difficulties limiting the use of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) for cancer treatment is the lack of methods for rapidly expanding T cells. As described in the present report, we developed a centrifugal bioreactor (CBR) that may resolve this manufacturing bottleneck. The CBR operates in perfusion by balancing centrifugal forces with a continuous feed of fresh medium, preventing cells from leaving the expansion culture chamber while maintaining nutrients for growth. A bovine CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) cell line specific for an autologous target cell infected with a protozoan parasite, Theileria parva, was used to determine the efficacy of the CBR for ACT purposes. Batch culture experiments were conducted to predict how CTLs respond to environmental changes associated with consumption of nutrients and production of toxic metabolites, such as ammonium and lactate. Data from these studies were used to develop a kinetic growth model, allowing us to predict CTL growth in the CBR and determine the optimal operating parameters. The model predicts the maximum cell density the CBR can sustain is 5.5 × 107 cells/mL in a single 11-mL conical chamber with oxygen being the limiting factor. Experimental results expanding CTLs in the CBR are in 95% agreement with the kinetic model. The prototype CBR described in this report can be used to develop a CBR for use in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitana M Kaiphanliam
- Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Brenden Fraser-Hevlin
- Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Eric S Barrow
- Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture Professional Shops, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - William C Davis
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Bernard J Van Wie
- Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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4
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Ganeeva I, Zmievskaya E, Valiullina A, Kudriaeva A, Miftakhova R, Rybalov A, Bulatov E. Recent Advances in the Development of Bioreactors for Manufacturing of Adoptive Cell Immunotherapies. BIOENGINEERING (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:bioengineering9120808. [PMID: 36551014 PMCID: PMC9774716 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering9120808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Harnessing the human immune system as a foundation for therapeutic technologies capable of recognizing and killing tumor cells has been the central objective of anti-cancer immunotherapy. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in improving the effectiveness and accessibility of this technology to make it widely applicable for adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) such as chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells, and many other. Automated, scalable, cost-effective, and GMP-compliant bioreactors for production of ACTs are urgently needed. The primary efforts in the field of GMP bioreactors development are focused on closed and fully automated point-of-care (POC) systems. However, their clinical and industrial application has not yet reached full potential, as there are numerous obstacles associated with delicate balancing of the complex and often unpredictable cell biology with the need for precision and full process control. Here we provide a brief overview of the existing and most advanced systems for ACT manufacturing, including cell culture bags, G-Rex flasks, and bioreactors (rocking motion, stirred-flask, stirred-tank, hollow-fiber), as well as semi- and fully-automated closed bioreactor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Ganeeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Zmievskaya
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Aygul Valiullina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Anna Kudriaeva
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Regina Miftakhova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | | | - Emil Bulatov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
- Correspondence:
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5
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Ochs J, Hanga MP, Shaw G, Duffy N, Kulik M, Tissin N, Reibert D, Biermann F, Moutsatsou P, Ratnayake S, Nienow A, Koenig N, Schmitt R, Rafiq Q, Hewitt CJ, Barry F, Murphy JM. Needle to needle
robot‐assisted
manufacture of cell therapy products. Bioeng Transl Med 2022; 7:e10387. [PMID: 36176619 PMCID: PMC9472012 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) have emerged as novel therapies for untreatable diseases, generating the need for large volumes of high‐quality, clinically‐compliant GMP cells to replace costly, high‐risk and limited scale manual expansion processes. We present the design of a fully automated, robot‐assisted platform incorporating the use of multiliter stirred tank bioreactors for scalable production of adherent human stem cells. The design addresses a needle‐to‐needle closed process incorporating automated bone marrow collection, cell isolation, expansion, and collection into cryovials for patient delivery. AUTOSTEM, a modular, adaptable, fully closed system ensures no direct operator interaction with biological material; all commands are performed through a graphic interface. Seeding of source material, process monitoring, feeding, sampling, harvesting and cryopreservation are automated within the closed platform, comprising two clean room levels enabling both open and closed processes. A bioprocess based on human MSCs expanded on microcarriers was used for proof of concept. Utilizing equivalent culture parameters, the AUTOSTEM robot‐assisted platform successfully performed cell expansion at the liter scale, generating results comparable to manual production, while maintaining cell quality postprocessing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Ochs
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) Aachen Germany
| | - Mariana P. Hanga
- School of Biosciences, Life and Health Sciences College Aston University Birmingham UK
- Chemical Engineering University College London London UK
| | - Georgina Shaw
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Biomedical Sciences Building National University of Ireland Galway Galway Ireland
| | - Niamh Duffy
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Biomedical Sciences Building National University of Ireland Galway Galway Ireland
| | - Michael Kulik
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) Aachen Germany
| | - Nokilaj Tissin
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) Aachen Germany
| | - Daniel Reibert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) Aachen Germany
| | | | - Panagiota Moutsatsou
- School of Biosciences, Life and Health Sciences College Aston University Birmingham UK
| | - Shibani Ratnayake
- School of Biosciences, Life and Health Sciences College Aston University Birmingham UK
| | - Alvin Nienow
- Chemical Engineering University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
| | - Niels Koenig
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) Aachen Germany
| | - Robert Schmitt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) Aachen Germany
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Qasim Rafiq
- Biochemical Engineering, Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering University College London London UK
| | - Christopher J. Hewitt
- School of Biosciences, Life and Health Sciences College Aston University Birmingham UK
| | - Frank Barry
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Biomedical Sciences Building National University of Ireland Galway Galway Ireland
| | - J. Mary Murphy
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Biomedical Sciences Building National University of Ireland Galway Galway Ireland
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Jayson A, Goldvaser M, Dor E, Monash A, Levin L, Cherry L, Lupu E, Natan N, Girshengorn M, Epstein E, Rosen O. Application of Ambr15 system for simulation of entire SARS-CoV-2 vaccine production process involving macrocarriers. Biotechnol Prog 2022; 38:e3277. [PMID: 35633106 PMCID: PMC9348148 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Ambr15 system is an automated, high‐throughput bioreactor platform which comprises 24 individually controlled, single‐use stirred‐tank reactors. This system plays a critical role in process development by reducing reagent requirements and facilitating high‐throughput screening of process parameters. However, until now, the system was used to simulate processes involving cells in suspension or growing on microcarriers and has never been tested for simulating cells growing on macrocarriers. Moreover, to our knowledge, a complete production process including cell growth and virus production has never been simulated. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, the amenability of the automated Ambr15 cell culture reactor system to simulate the entire SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine production process using macrocarriers. To simulate the production process, accessories were first developed to enable insertion of tens of Fibra‐Cel macrocarries into the reactors. Vero cell adsorption to Fibra‐Cels was then monitored and its adsorption curve was studied. After incorporating of all optimized factors, Vero cells were adsorbed to and grown on Fibra‐Cels for several days. During the process, culture medium was exchanged, and the quantity and viability of the cells were followed, resulting in a typical growth curve. After successfully growing cells for 6 days, they were infected with the rVSV‐ΔG‐Spike vaccine virus. The present results indicate that the Ambr15 system is not only suitable for simulating a process using macrocarriers, but also to simulate an entire vaccine production process, from cell adsorption, cell growth, infection and vaccine virus production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avital Jayson
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Michael Goldvaser
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Eyal Dor
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Arik Monash
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Lilach Levin
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Lilach Cherry
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Edith Lupu
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Niva Natan
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Meni Girshengorn
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Eyal Epstein
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Osnat Rosen
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
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7
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Lamas R, Ulrey R, Ahuja S, Sargent A. Changes to culture pH and dissolved oxygen can enhance CAR T-cell generation and differentiation. Biotechnol Prog 2022; 38:e3275. [PMID: 35567431 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is growing clinically and commercially as a powerful new approach to treat cancer. Understanding how key culture conditions such as pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) affect CAR T-cell generation and function is important in developing better CAR-T manufacturing processes and CAR T-cell therapies for patients. We used the automated mini-bioreactor (AMBR) 15 platform to assess how differences in pH and DO affect CAR T-cell transduction, proliferation, and differentiation. We found that higher pH can significantly improve CAR T-cell transduction and proliferation, and also biases CAR T-cells away from an effector memory and towards a more central memory phenotype. Both high and low DO negatively affect CAR T-cell generation, with both hypoxic and hyperoxic conditions reducing T-cell transduction into CAR T-cells. Collectively, this data underscores how pH and DO can significantly affect CAR T-cell expansion and differentiation, and provides insight into the optimal culture conditions to enhance CAR T-cell yield and phenotype in clinical and commercial processes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Lamas
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, MedImmune LLC, One MedImmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD
| | - Robert Ulrey
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, MedImmune LLC, One MedImmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD
| | - Sanjeev Ahuja
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, MedImmune LLC, One MedImmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD
| | - Alex Sargent
- Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences, MedImmune LLC, One MedImmune Way, Gaithersburg, MD
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8
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Tang QL, Gu LX, Xu Y, Liao XH, Zhou Y, Zhang TC. Establishing functional lentiviral vector production in a stirred bioreactor for CAR-T cell therapy. Bioengineered 2021; 12:2095-2105. [PMID: 34047682 PMCID: PMC8806440 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1931644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
As gene delivery tools, lentiviral vectors (LV) have broad applications in chimeric antigen receptor therapy (CAR-T). Large-scale production of functional LV is limited by the adherent, serum-dependent nature of HEK293T cells used in the manufacturing. HEK293T adherent cells were adapted to suspension cells in a serum-free medium to establish large-scale processes for functional LV production in a stirred bioreactor without micro-carriers. The results showed that 293 T suspension was successfully cultivated in F media (293 CD05 medium and SMM293-TII with 1:1 volume ratio), and the cells retained the capacity for LV production. After cultivation in a 5.5 L bioreactor for 4 days, the cells produced 1.5 ± 0.3 × 107 TU/mL raw LV, and the lentiviral transduction efficiency was 48.6 ± 2.8% in T Cells. The yield of LV equaled to the previous shake flask. The critical process steps were completed to enable a large-scale LV production process. Besides, a cryopreservation solution was developed to reduce protein involvement, avoid cell grafting and reduce process cost. The process is cost-effective and easy to scale up production, which is expected to be highly competitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qu-Lai Tang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education & Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Li-Xing Gu
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yao Xu
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing-Hua Liao
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tong-Cun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education & Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
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9
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Abou-El-Enein M, Elsallab M, Feldman SA, Fesnak AD, Heslop HE, Marks P, Till BG, Bauer G, Savoldo B. Scalable Manufacturing of CAR T cells for Cancer Immunotherapy. Blood Cancer Discov 2021; 2:408-422. [PMID: 34568831 PMCID: PMC8462122 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-21-0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As of April 2021, there are five commercially available chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for hematological malignancies. With the current transition of CAR T cell manufacturing from academia to industry, there is a shift toward Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant closed and automated systems to ensure reproducibility and to meet the increased demand for cancer patients. In this review we describe current CAR T cells clinical manufacturing models and discuss emerging technological advances that embrace scaling and production optimization. We summarize measures being used to shorten CAR T-cell manufacturing times and highlight regulatory challenges to scaling production for clinical use. Statement of Significance ∣ As the demand for CAR T cell cancer therapy increases, several closed and automated production platforms are being deployed, and others are in development.This review provides a critical appraisal of these technologies that can be leveraged to scale and optimize the production of next generation CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abou-El-Enein
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Joint USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Magdi Elsallab
- Joint USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven A Feldman
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Andrew D Fesnak
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Helen E Heslop
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peter Marks
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Brian G Till
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gerhard Bauer
- Institute for Regenerative Cures (IRC), University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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10
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Garcia-Aponte OF, Herwig C, Kozma B. Lymphocyte expansion in bioreactors: upgrading adoptive cell therapy. J Biol Eng 2021; 15:13. [PMID: 33849630 PMCID: PMC8042697 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-021-00264-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioreactors are essential tools for the development of efficient and high-quality cell therapy products. However, their application is far from full potential, holding several challenges when reconciling the complex biology of the cells to be expanded with the need for a manufacturing process that is able to control cell growth and functionality towards therapy affordability and opportunity. In this review, we discuss and compare current bioreactor technologies by performing a systematic analysis of the published data on automated lymphocyte expansion for adoptive cell therapy. We propose a set of requirements for bioreactor design and identify trends on the applicability of these technologies, highlighting the specific challenges and major advancements for each one of the current approaches of expansion along with the opportunities that lie in process intensification. We conclude on the necessity to develop targeted solutions specially tailored for the specific stimulation, supplementation and micro-environmental needs of lymphocytes’ cultures, and the benefit of applying knowledge-based tools for process control and predictability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Fabian Garcia-Aponte
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstraße 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Herwig
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstraße 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Bence Kozma
- Research Area Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstraße 1a, 1060, Vienna, Austria
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11
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Baudequin T, Nyland R, Ye H. Objectives, benefits and challenges of bioreactor systems for the clinical-scale expansion of T lymphocyte cells. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 49:107735. [PMID: 33781889 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Cell therapies based on T cell have gathered interest over the last decades for treatment of cancers, becoming recently the most investigated lineage for clinical trials. Although results of adoptive cell therapies are very promising, obtaining large batches of T cell at clinical scale is still challenging nowadays. We propose here a review study focusing on how bioreactor systems could increase expansion rates of T cell culture specifically towards efficient, reliable and reproducible cell therapies. After describing the specificities of T cell culture, in particular activation, phenotypical characterization and cell density considerations, we detail the main objectives of bioreactors in this context, namely scale-up, GMP-compliance and reduced time and costs. Then, we report recent advances on the different classes of bioreactor systems commonly investigated for non-adherent cell expansion, in comparison with the current "gold standard" of T cell culture (flasks and culture bag). Results obtained with hollow fibres, G-Rex® flasks, Wave bioreactor, multiple-step bioreactors, spinner flasks as well as original homemade designs are discussed to highlight advantages and drawbacks in regards to T cells' specificities. Although there is currently no consensus on an optimal bioreactor, overall, most systems reviewed here can improve T cell culture towards faster, easier and/or cheaper protocols. They also offer strong outlooks towards automation, process control and complete closed systems, which could be mandatory developments for a massive clinical breakthrough. However, proper controls are sometimes lacking to conclude clearly on the features leading to the progresses regarding cell expansion, and the field could benefit from process engineering methods, such as quality by design, to perform multi parameters studies and face these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée Baudequin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Robin Nyland
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Hua Ye
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom.
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12
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Rotondi M, Grace N, Betts J, Bargh N, Costariol E, Zoro B, Hewitt CJ, Nienow AW, Rafiq QA. Design and development of a new ambr250® bioreactor vessel for improved cell and gene therapy applications. Biotechnol Lett 2021; 43:1103-1116. [PMID: 33528693 PMCID: PMC8043889 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-021-03076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of cell and gene therapies has generated significant interest in their clinical and commercial potential. However, these therapies are prohibitively expensive to manufacture and can require extensive time for development due to our limited process knowledge and understanding. The automated ambr250® stirred-tank bioreactor platform provides an effective platform for high-throughput process development. However, the original dual pitched-blade 20 mm impeller and baffles proved sub-optimal for cell therapy candidates that require suspension of microcarriers (e.g. for the culture of adherent human mesenchymal stem cells) or other particles such as activating Dynabeads® (e.g. for the culture of human T-cells). We demonstrate the development of a new ambr250® stirred-tank bioreactor vessel which has been designed specifically to improve the suspension of microcarriers/beads and thereby improve the culture of such cellular systems. The new design is unbaffled and has a single, larger elephant ear impeller. We undertook a range of engineering and physical characterizations to determine which vessel and impeller configuration would be most suitable for suspension based on the minimum agitation speed (NJS) and associated specific power input (P/V)JS. A vessel (diameter, T, = 60 mm) without baffles and incorporating a single elephant ear impeller (diameter 30 mm and 45° pitch-blade angle) was selected as it had the lowest (P/V)JS and therefore potentially, based on Kolmogorov concepts, was the most flexible system. These experimentally-based conclusions were further validated firstly with computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations and secondly experimental studies involving the culture of both T-cells with Dynabeads® and hMSCs on microcarriers. The new ambr250® stirred-tank bioreactor successfully supported the culture of both cell types, with the T-cell culture demonstrating significant improvements compared to the original ambr250® and the hMSC-microcarrier culture gave significantly higher yields compared with spinner flask cultures. The new ambr250® bioreactor vessel design is an effective process development tool for cell and gene therapy candidates and potentially for autologous manufacture too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Rotondi
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Ned Grace
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech, York Way, Royston, SG8 5WY, UK
| | - John Betts
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech, York Way, Royston, SG8 5WY, UK
| | - Neil Bargh
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech, York Way, Royston, SG8 5WY, UK
| | - Elena Costariol
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Barney Zoro
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech, York Way, Royston, SG8 5WY, UK
| | - Christopher J Hewitt
- Aston Medical Research Institute, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Alvin W Nienow
- Aston Medical Research Institute, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK.,School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Qasim A Rafiq
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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13
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Nienow AW. The Impact of Fluid Dynamic Stress in Stirred Bioreactors – The Scale of the Biological Entity: A Personal View. CHEM-ING-TECH 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/cite.202000176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alvin W. Nienow
- University of Birmingham School of Chemical Engineering B15 2TT Birmingham United Kingdom
- Loughborough University Biological Engineering Loughborough LE11 3TU Loughborough United Kingdom
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14
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Doulgkeroglou MN, Di Nubila A, Niessing B, König N, Schmitt RH, Damen J, Szilvassy SJ, Chang W, Csontos L, Louis S, Kugelmeier P, Ronfard V, Bayon Y, Zeugolis DI. Automation, Monitoring, and Standardization of Cell Product Manufacturing. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:811. [PMID: 32766229 PMCID: PMC7381146 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although regenerative medicine products are at the forefront of scientific research, technological innovation, and clinical translation, their reproducibility and large-scale production are compromised by automation, monitoring, and standardization issues. To overcome these limitations, new technologies at software (e.g., algorithms and artificial intelligence models, combined with imaging software and machine learning techniques) and hardware (e.g., automated liquid handling, automated cell expansion bioreactor systems, automated colony-forming unit counting and characterization units, and scalable cell culture plates) level are under intense investigation. Automation, monitoring and standardization should be considered at the early stages of the developmental cycle of cell products to deliver more robust and effective therapies and treatment plans to the bedside, reducing healthcare expenditure and improving services and patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meletios-Nikolaos Doulgkeroglou
- Regenerative, Modular & Developmental Engineering Laboratory, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.,Science Foundation Ireland, Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Alessia Di Nubila
- Regenerative, Modular & Developmental Engineering Laboratory, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.,Science Foundation Ireland, Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | | | - Niels König
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology, Aachen, Germany
| | - Robert H Schmitt
- Production Engineering Cluster, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jackie Damen
- STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Wing Chang
- STEMCELL Technologies Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lynn Csontos
- STEMCELL Technologies Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon Louis
- STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Vincent Ronfard
- College System of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States.,Cutiss AG, Zurich, Switzerland.,HairClone, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Yves Bayon
- Medtronic - Sofradim Production, Trévoux, France
| | - Dimitrios I Zeugolis
- Regenerative, Modular & Developmental Engineering Laboratory, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.,Science Foundation Ireland, Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
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15
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Costariol E, Rotondi MC, Amini A, Hewitt CJ, Nienow AW, Heathman TRJ, Rafiq QA. Demonstrating the Manufacture of Human CAR‐T Cells in an Automated Stirred‐Tank Bioreactor. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e2000177. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.202000177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Costariol
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering University College London London WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Marco C. Rotondi
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering University College London London WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Arman Amini
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering University College London London WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Christopher J. Hewitt
- Aston Medical Research Institute, School of Life and Health Sciences Aston University Birmingham B4 7ET UK
| | - Alvin W. Nienow
- Aston Medical Research Institute, School of Life and Health Sciences Aston University Birmingham B4 7ET UK
- School of Chemical Engineering University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Thomas R. J. Heathman
- Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutic Solutions (HCATS) 4 Pearl Court Allendale NJ 07401 USA
| | - Qasim A. Rafiq
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Biochemical Engineering University College London London WC1E 6BT UK
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16
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Amini A, Wiegmann V, Patel H, Veraitch F, Baganz F. Bioprocess considerations for T-cell therapy: Investigating the impact of agitation, dissolved oxygen, and pH on T-cell expansion and differentiation. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3018-3028. [PMID: 32568407 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) has emerged as a promising new way to treat systemic cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, the robustness and reproducibility of the manufacturing process remains a challenge. Here, a single-use 24-well microbioreactor (micro-Matrix) was assessed for its use as a high-throughput screening tool to investigate the effect and the interaction of different shaking speeds, dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH levels on the growth and differentiation of primary T cells in a perfusion-mimic process. The full factorial design allowed for the generation of predictive models, which were used to find optimal culture conditions. Agitation was shown to play a fundamental role in the proliferation of T cells. A shaking speed of 200 rpm drastically improved the final viable cell concentration (VCC), while the viability was maintained above 90% throughout the cultivation. VCCs reached a maximum of 9.22 × 106 cells/ml. The distribution of CD8+ central memory T cells (TCM ), was found to be largely unaffected by the shaking speed. A clear interaction between pH and DO (p < .001) was established for the cell growth and the optimal culture conditions were identified for a combination of 200 rpm, 25% DO, and pH of 7.4. The combination of microbioreactor technology and Design of Experiment methodology provides a powerful tool to rapidly gain an understanding of the design space of the T-cell manufacturing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Amini
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.,Oribiotech Ltd., London, UK
| | - Vincent Wiegmann
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hamza Patel
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Farlan Veraitch
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.,Oribiotech Ltd., London, UK
| | - Frank Baganz
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
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