Disposable bioreactor speeds vaccine production at new Danish facility
A disposable bioreactor developed by Wave Biotech of New Jersey, US, has been commissioned for the latest vaccine production facility of Bavarian Nordic of Denmark.
A disposable bioreactor developed by Wave Biotech of New Jersey, US, has been commissioned for the latest vaccine production facility of Bavarian Nordic of Denmark.
The Kvistgaard, Denmark-based facility was built in a record-breaking eleven months, due in part to the use of new large-scale bioreactor units. The speed of the fast-track project was essential to Bavarian Nordic, which is participating in the US Government's programme to develop and acquire a safe smallpox vaccine based on the Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus.
The patented Wave Bioreactor enables cell culture in pre-sterilised plastic bags (Cellbags). The bags act as single-use bioreactors. The disposable technology saved between six and nine months of time on the installing the project.
Karen Wassard, production director for Bavarian Nordic, said: "The Wave Bioreactor is actually easier to use when compared to a standard bioreactor. With single-use containers, you don't have cleaning validation, which saves time. The new vaccine production facility's flexible disposable production technology will enable Bavarian Nordic to adjust quickly and smoothly to produce other vaccines when required."