Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing beads comprising a material capable of gelation, said method comprising the steps of: (i) combining (a) a liquid composition comprising a material capable of gelation; and (b) a first hydrophobic phase; (ii) subjecting the liquid composition and the first hydrophobic phase, to means for emulsification in a first reactor by addition of external mechanical energy creating an emulsion comprising individual droplets comprising the material capable of gelation in the first hydrophobic phase (wherein the material capable of gelation provides a discontinuous phase and the first hydrophobic phase provides a continuous phase); (iii) stabilizing the droplets by transferring the emulsion from the first reactor to a stabilization reactor wherein the emulsion obtained in step (ii) is subjected to means for gelation in order to obtain gelation within 5 minutes or less, and the beads are formed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the culturing of cells, preferably E1-immortalized HER cells, more preferably PER.C6 cells in a reactor in suspension in a cell culture medium, wherein the cells produce a biological substance, preferably an antibody, wherein at least one cell culture medium component is fed to the cell culture and wherein the cells culture comprising the cells, the biological substance and the cell culture medium is circulated over a separation system and wherein the separation system separates the biological substance from substances having a lower molecular weight than the biological substance and wherein the biological substance is retained in or fed back into the reactor. Preferably part of the substances of lower molecular weight is continuously removed from the cell culture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recombinant E. coli strain characterized in that the organisms contains a gene coding for a protein having esterase activity. Such E. coli is suitable for the preparation of a protein with esterase activity, whereby the expression takes place without coexpression of GroEL and/or GroES from a plasmid. The expression of glutathione reductase and/or thioredoxin reductase may be abolished by mutation. Furthermore, the ability of the organism to grow under oxygen-rich conditions has been restored by mutation. The expression of the gene of the protein with esterase activity is unaccompanied by the expression of an additional gene encoding a heat shock chaperone protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of polymers and to an apparatus for performing this process. The apparatus comprises devices and reactors that are combined in the sequence of first a mixing device, second a flow microwave and optionally third one or more additional reactors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the culturing of cells by continuous perfusion culturing of a cell culture comprising cell culture medium and cells, wherein cell culture medium is added to the cell culture, the cell culture is circulated over a filter module comprising hollow fibers resulting in an outflow of liquid having a lower cell density than the cell culture and the flow within the filter module is an alternating tangential flow. Preferably, culture medium is added at a particular perfusion rate and/or biomass is removed form the culture at least once. The method is especially suitable for the culturing of aggregating cells. The invention also relates to such a process wherein a biological substance, preferably an antibody, is produced by the cells, which biological substance may be further purified in downstream processing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing beads comprising a material capable of gelation, said method comprising the steps of: (i) combining (a) a liquid composition comprising a material capable of gelation; and (b) a first hydrophobic phase; (ii) subjecting the liquid composition and the first hydrophobic phase, to means for emulsification in a first reactor by addition of external mechanical energy creating an emulsion comprising individual droplets comprising the material capable of gelation in the first hydrophobic phase (wherein the material capable of gelation provides a discontinuous phase and the first hydrophobic phase provides a continuous phase); (iii) stabilising the droplets by transferring the emulsion from the first reactor to a stabilisation reactor wherein the emulsion obtained in step (ii) is subjected to means for gelation in order to obtain gelation within 5 minutes or less, and the beads are formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the enzymatic synthesis of enantiomerically enriched (R)-amines of general formula [1][c] from the corresponding ketones of the general formula [1][a] by using novel transaminases. These novel transaminases are selected from two different groups: either from a group of some 20 proteins with sequences as specified herein, or from a group of proteins having transaminase activity and isolated from a microorganism selected from the group of organisms consisting of Rahnella aquatilis, Ochrobactrum anthropi, Ochrobactrum tritici, Sinorhizobium morelense, Curtobacterium pusiffium, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Microbacterium ginsengisoli, Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum, Pseudomonas citronellolis, Yersinia kristensenii, Achromobacter spanius, Achromobacter insolitus, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium frederiksbergense, Mycobacterium sacrum, Mycobacterium fluoranthenivorans, Burkhoideria sp., Burkhoideria tropica, Cosmospora episphaeria, and Fusarium oxysporum.

Abstract: A process for producing a reaction product of a diazo compound, which process comprises: a. continuously supplying to a first reactor a precursor of a diazo compound; a water-miscible solvent; a base and water; b. mixing the precursor of a diazo compound; the water-miscible solvent; the base and water to generate a diazo compound; c. continuously removing from the first reactor, through a hydrophobic membrane, into a second reactor the formed diazo compound; d. continuously removing from the first reactor all reaction products that have not passed into the second reactor; e. continuously supplying to the second reactor a substrate in a non-water-miscible solvent; f. mixing the above components to generate a reaction product of a diazo compound; and g. continuously removing from the second reactor the non-water-miscible solvent and the reaction product of the diazo compound, and apparatus suitable for carrying out such a process.

Abstract: In the field of expanded bed adsorption chromatography, with particular but not exclusive relevance to disposable expanded bed chromatography columns, a method of conducting upward flow expanded bed chromatography comprising: supplying a liquid via an inlet to a stationary phase medium contained in a column, allowing adsorption of at least one component from the liquid by the stationary phase medium, withdrawing the liquid from the column via an outlet, regulating the expansion of the stationary phase medium by regulation of the flow rate of the liquid through at least the inlet, and restricting any overpressure in the headspace of the column to not more than the outside pressure plus 0.1 bar, is provided. In addition, apparatus for use in said method, in particular columns for use in expanded bed chromatography, are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing beads comprising a material capable of gelation, said method comprising the steps of: (i) combining (a) a liquid composition comprising a material capable of gelation; and (b) a first hydrophobic phase; (ii) subjecting the liquid composition and the first hydrophobic phase, to means for emulsification in a first reactor by addition of external mechanical energy creating an emulsion comprising individual droplets comprising the material capable of gelation in the first hydrophobic phase (wherein the material capable of gelation provides a discontinuous phase and the first hydrophobic phase provides a continuous phase); (iii) stabilizing the droplets by transferring the emulsion from the first reactor to a stabilization reactor wherein the emulsion obtained in step (ii) is subjected to means for gelation in order to obtain gelation within 5 minutes or less, and the beads are formed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel process for the synthesis of R-biphenylalaninol and to intermediate compounds that are formed in the process according to the invention, i.e. novel intermediates useful in the synthesis of R-biphenylalaninol. The invention also relates to R-biphenylalaninol, The process according to the invention, the intermediates to of R-biphenylalaninol and of R-biphenylalaninol are all useful in the synthesis of pharmaceutically active compounds.