Revolutionizing EBA with Non-EBA - The Breakthrough of Recirculating Tangential Flow (RTF) Chromatography

Understanding Recirculating Tangential Flow Chromatography

In the ever-evolving landscape of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, innovation is key to maintaining a competitive edge. One of the most significant advancements is the introduction of Recirculating Tangential Flow (RTF) chromatography. RTF successfully separated the function of column distributor sieve from the routing filtering capacity of depth filters by introducing an enclosed recirculation loop while dealing with particle/cell containing feedstock. This novel process allows chromatography columns to process unclarified feedstock directly, which has profound implications for operational efficiencies and financial return.

Operational Advantages of RTF Technology

The operational benefits of RTF chromatography are immediate and impactful. Traditional chromatography methods often require extensive purification processes, including clarification steps that can be time-consuming and costly. With RTF, these preliminary steps are not required and bypassed entirely. This allows for a usual chromatography approach achieving all the benefits of "streamline EBA" without using expanded bed adsorption (EBA), eliminating one of the bottlenecks in production and facilitating quicker turnaround time.

Moreover, by enabling the direct processing of unclarified feedstock, RTF chromatography optimizes the utilization of resources. Companies can achieve significant cost savings while increasing throughput.

Financial Impact and Batch Connectivity

The financial implications of adopting RTF chromatography are equally compelling. By streamlining processes and reducing operational costs, businesses can achieve noticeable savings in their downstream purification processing. These savings stem from fewer consumable materials needed and shorter processing cycle time.

Additionally, RTF technology fosters the possibility of connected batches. In traditional setups, a separate depth filtration had to be performed as an individual batch, which has significantly different flow/pressure characteristics than the proceeding processing step. However, with the seamless integration offered by RTF chromatography, manufacturers can build the downstream process in a streamlined manner taking advantage of the similar flow/pressure requirement between adjacent processing steps. This connectivity not only enhances process reliability but also reduces the production cost and improves the efficiency.

The advancements represented by RTF technology signify a pivotal moment in the evolution of chromatography. The implementation of RTF chromatography can be a critical element to further optimize downstream purification operations for microbial or cell culture based drug manufacturing. By embracing this innovative technology, companies can position themselves at the forefront of industry practices, ready to tackle future challenges such as continuous process and process intensification.