Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells, commonly used for antibody production processes, are known to endogenously produce retrovirus-like particles (RVLPs). Though non-infectious, safety regulations require downstream processes to demonstrate robust clearance of RVLPs from the product stream. Traditionally, RVLP clearance across the downstream process is demonstrated using scaled-down models spiked with live, model retrovirus (MuLV) and run at the target process conditions. These studies require large amounts of intermediate pools and are performed in a virus laboratory with a suitable biosafety level classification, which can limit the number of conditions evaluated and results in the development of chromatography steps largely relying upon previous viral clearance knowledge. This work describes the use of purified RVLPs coupled with 96 well plate-based high throughput resin screening tools to define operating spaces for retroviral clearance by chromatography operations. Since RVLPs are non-infectious and can be quantified by RT-qPCR, a relatively high throughput assay, these studies do not require a biosafety lab and many conditions can be evaluated. Thus, chromatography steps can be optimized for the clearance of RVLPs and other retroviruses with high throughput screening tools during process development prior to execution of formal virus spiking studies.

High throughput optimization of chromatography steps for viral clearance using retrovirus-like particles (RVLPs)

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.