(333c) Membrane Technology in Bioprocessing -- Current Applications and Future Opportunities

Membrane systems are used extensively for the purification of a wide range of important biological products. This presentation will review current applications of membrane technology in bioprocessing, highlighting recent developments that have enabled membrane processes to address critical challenges facing the biopharmaceutical industry in the production of a range of biological products. This includes the development of robust virus filtration membranes that are now a standard component of the overall virus clearance strategy. In addition, increasing demand for biopharmaceutical products and competition from biosimilars has generated interest in transitioning to continuous biopharmaceutical processes. Countercurrent staged membrane processes for continuous diafiltration have recently been explored that could provide new opportunities for the development of membrane technology for bioprocessing applications