Upstream / Downstream

The production of biomolecules, e.g. proteins, consists of two main steps: upstream (USP) and downstream (DSP) processing. We offer customized products such as culture media, reagents and buffer solutions in many different sizes, ranging from small vials to 3D bags. They are available in different quality grades from Research Use Only (RUO) to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) quality, suited for your specific applications.

Cell Expansion / Upstream

For upstream processing specifically engineered cell lines are developed and cell banking / cell storage is established. The cells, usually mammalian cells or microorganisms like bacteria, are cultivated in appropriate culture media. During the process of cell expansion, starting from small vials, the culture size is increased gradually until the cells can be transferred into large bioreactors. This enables the production of specific biomolecules on a large scale. The cell cultures are often supplemented with insulin, transferrin or cell-specific growth factors to optimize cell growth and yield.

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Purification / Downstream

These biomolecules, e.g. proteins, have to be separated from the culture medium or extracted from the inside of the cells. For these extraction procedures special cell lysis buffers are used. The molecules are further purified by several steps of centrifugation, filtration and different chromatography methods to remove other proteins or nucleic acids like RNA and DNA. During these steps suitable buffer solutions are used to maintain defined purification conditions like pH and conductivity to stabilize the target protein while protecting them from unwanted contaminations. This ensures structural and functional integrity of the biomolecules during downstream processing.

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Upstream Illustration
Downstream illustration
Culture Media
  • Basal Media (e.g. DMEM/F12, RPMI 1640)
  • Complete Media (for e.g. CHO, Hybridoma, Stem cells)
  • Serum-free & chemically defined Media
  • Customized Media
  • And more…
Supplements
  • Serum Replacements (e.g. Panexin)
  • Growth Factors (e.g. bFGF, EGF)
  • Cytokines (e.g. IL-2, IL-15)
  • Antibiotics (e.g. Pen./Strep.)
  • Customized Supplements
  • And more…
Reagents
  • WFI Quality Water
  • Seperating Solutions
  • Buffers
  • Feed Solutions (e.g. sugar solutions < 50 %)
  • Customized Reagents
  • And more…
Buffer Solutions
  • For Chromatography
  • For Cell Lysis (e.g. high viscosity sugar solutions)
  • For Filtration
  • Customized Buffer Solutions
  • And more…
Reagents
  • WFI Quality Water
  • Detergents for virus inactivation (e.g. Polysorbat 20, Triton X-100)
  • Enzyme Solutions (e.g. Benzonase)
  • Customized Reagents
  • And more…

Cell Culture Media & Supplements

Upstream processing has an impact on cell growth, productivity and product quality. An important step is the selection and optimization of the media and supplements to optimally support the growth and proliferation of the cells. The composition is crucial for growth and is often customized to maximize the yield of the desired product.

Benefits:

  • Manufacturing in RUO/ GMP ready and GMP compliant quality
  • Low endotoxin level, low bioburden or sterile
  • Chemically defined, serum-free and animal origin-free
  • Options to customize media and supplements
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Buffer & Reagents

Buffers and reagents are used in nearly every process step of the USP and DSP. Buffer and Reagent quality plays an important role in the success of each process step. In upstream processes, buffers and reagents are used for pH adjustment and other process parameters such as glucose concentration. In downstream processes, buffers and reagents are used to maintain defined conditions for the purification steps and to stabilize the target product and maintain functional characteristics.

Benefits:

  • Manufacturing in RUO/ GMP ready and GMP compliant quality
  • Low endotoxin level, Iow bioburden or sterile
  • DNase-/ RNase-free
  • Animal origin-free
  • Available in excipient grade
  • Customized formulations can be easily implemented
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Here are examples of our products commonly utilized in various steps of upstream and downstream processes:

Upstream Process Step Media Supplements/Reagents
Cell Banking Freezing media: Cryopan I + Cryopan II DMSO
Cell Detachment Trypsin EDTA solution
EDTA in DPBS (w/o: Ca and Mg)
Accumax Cell Dissociation solution
Accutase Cell Detachment solution
Collagenase type I, II, III, IV
Cell Expansion / Fermentation
Basal media
Complete media
Serum-free & chemically defined media
WFI Quality Water
Buffer solution e.g. 1 M HEPES
Serum Replacements e.g. Panexin
Growth Factors
Cytokines
Antibiotics
And more…
Downstream Process Step Buffer Solution Reagents
Cell Disruption
Erythrocyte Lysis Buffer
Customized buffer solutions
(e.g. with sugar concentration < 50%, EDTA or Triton X-100)
WFI Quality Water
Enzyme solutions
Filtration Customized buffer solutions (e.g. HEPES, MES, Tris) WFI Quality Water
Product isolation and purification
(e. g. chromatography)
Customized buffer solutions with HEPES, MES, Tris,
Urea, Imidazol, Ammonium sulfate and more
Benzonase solution
WFI Quality Water (RNase-/ DNase-free)
Virus Inactivation Buffer solution with detergents
(e.g. with Polysorbat 20, Polysorbat 80 or Triton X-100)
Buffer solution with low pH value
(e.g. citric acid, sodium acetate)
WFI Quality Water (RNase-/ DNase-free)
Final Formulation Acetic acid solution (RNase- / DNase-free)
Customized formulation buffer (cGMP, excipient quality)
WFI Quality Water (RNase-/ DNase-free)

Applications of our products in Upstream and Downstream

Our products are used in Upstream and Downstream processes across a wide range of applications. For more detailed information please see the examples provided below:

Vaccine production based on cell culture
Vaccine production based on mRNA technology
Cell and gene therapy
Antibody production
Vaccine production based on cell culture
Vaccine production based on mRNA technology
Cell and gene therapy
Antibody production

Products highlighted in orange are currently available.