Abstract: Fluidic modules configured for flowing fluid through membranes and associated methods are generally provided. In some embodiments, a fluidic module comprises two channels between which a membrane is positioned. The two channels may have geometries such that the pressure drop experienced by a fluid flowing from the first channel, through the membrane, and into the second channel is substantially independent of the location along the channel at which it flows through the membrane. In other words, the pressure drop may be substantially constant over the membrane area.

Abstract: A method of filtering a large volume of a medium using a pre-sterilizable, at least partially automated single-use filtration device which includes an unfiltrate inlet, a filtrate outlet, a main line running between the unfiltrate inlet and the filtrate outlet, filter elements arranged in the main line, a venting line and sensors for detecting specific process parameters and regulating means for adjusting specific process parameters, wherein the sensors and regulating means are connected to an external monitoring and control system which is adapted for evaluating and processing sensor data and for piloting the regulating means based on one or more control algorithms, comprises the following process steps: a) filling the single-use filtration device with medium with low flow; b) venting the single-use filtration device through the venting line; c) closing the venting line; d) rinsing the single-use filtration device, in particular the filter elements; e) filtering the medium by means of the filter elements; f)

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for determining viability and/or a cell counts of biological cells in a cell suspension culture using collimated transmission. Devices can include an illumination source for generating an electromagnetic illumination beam; beam manipulation means for collimating the illumination beam; and a detection unit for detecting an electromagnetic transmission beam being a portion of the collimated illumination beam which has been transmitted through a sample of the cell suspension culture.

Abstract: A filtering system (10) includes a filtering apparatus having a filter unit for receiving liquid to be filtered, a receptacle for receiving filtered liquid, and an adapter (14) for coupling the filter unit to the receptacle, and also includes a base (12) having a cradle (26) for receiving the filtering apparatus and a base vacuum delivery port (28). The adapter includes an adapter vacuum receiving port (22) coupled to the vacuum delivery port for driving the liquid through the filter and—as filtered liquid—into the receptacle. The cradle and the adapter have an interlocking mechanism (52, 54) that locks the filtering apparatus to the cradle in a locking position in which the vacuum receiving port is sealingly coupled to the base vacuum delivery port. The base vacuum delivery port has a vacuum valve (30) constituted as a normally-closed valve automatically forced open when the filtering apparatus locks to the cradle.

Abstract: A connection device has a line portion having, at its end, a radially outwardly projecting abutment flange for abutting against a corresponding abutment flange of a further line portion which is to be coupled to the line portion, and a ring-segment chain comprising a plurality of ring segments connected to one another in a pivotable manner in a common ring plane, wherein the ring-segment ends which form the chain ends can be latched to one another to give a ring-form connection clamp. The line portion is designed in the form of a tubular connection stub with first thread means spaced apart axially from the abutment surface of its abutment flange and in that each ring segment has a radially inwardly projecting clamping flange and second thread means, which are spaced apart axially from said clamping flange and correspond to the first thread means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filtration unit with a filtration membrane, nutritive cardboard disc and, if necessary, a support structure, wherein the nutritive cardboard disc and/or the support structure comprises a solid, water-soluble nutrient medium and a water-soluble and/or water-swellable polymer, a method for producing the filtration unit, a method for detecting microorganisms in a fluid, wherein the filtration unit is used, and the use of the filtration unit for detecting microorganisms in a fluid.

Abstract: System for detecting at least one presence of foam of a medium in a bioreactor plant, wherein the system comprises: —a bioreactor plant having at least one disposable container for receiving the medium that may comprise the foam; and—at least two capacitive sensor units which are attached at at least two different situating positions of the bioreactor plant, wherein the capacitive sensor units each comprise at least one electrode system for capacitive measurement and are able to detect the presence of foam at the at least two situating positions on the basis of the capacitive measurement; and wherein the capacitive sensor units are designed to transmit captured data relating to the presence of foam to at least one monitoring unit for monitoring, open-loop and/or closed-loop control of foam formation in the bioreactor plant on the basis of said data.

Abstract: A single-use device for filtration of a large volume of medium including a plurality of single-use filter units, at least some of which, preferably all of which, are connected to each other by rigid pipes. The filter units include at least one prefilter and at least one main filter for virus filtration which is configured as a hollow fiber capsule.

Abstract: Method for open-loop or closed-loop control of a process, in particular a downstream bioprocess, based on the projection of an unknown concentration of at least one substance in a sample using spectroscopy, in particular UV/vis spectroscopy, comprising the steps: Detect spectrums of a plurality of concentration samples, wherein at least two concentration samples have differing concentrations of the substance; generate several quantitative models based on the spectrums of the concentration samples, wherein the models each have a mapping of at least one spectral measurand of the spectrums to concentrations in concentration ranges, wherein the concentration ranges of two models are not identical; detect at least one sample spectrum of the sample; map the sample spectrum to at least one quantitative model of the generated quantitative models; apply the at least one quantitative model that was mapped to the sample spectrum against the sample spectrum to determine a projected value for the unknown concentration; an

Abstract: A crossflow filtration unit for continuous diafiltration of a feed fluid for obtaining a retentate and a permeate, a corresponding method for diafiltration and the use of the crossflow filtration unit are provided. The crossflow filtration unit includes a diafiltration channel, a flat first filter material, a retentate channel, a flat second filter material, and a permeate collection channel, arranged such that the flat first filter material delimits the diafiltration channel and the retentate channel from one another, and the flat second filter material delimits the retentate channel and the permeate collection channel from one another. The diafiltration channel is fluidly connected to at least one inlet for the diafiltration medium, the retentate channel is fluidly connected to at least one inlet for the feed fluid and to at least one outlet for the retentate. The permeate collection channel is fluidly connected to at least one outlet for the permeate.

Abstract: A sterile packaging unit includes a disposable bioprocessing component (20) and a packaging (30). The disposable bioprocessing component (20) has a component wall that encloses a processing space and on which is secured a sensor system (40) with at least one sensor head (T, P, I, L, D) and with attached sensor electronics (42) that include a memory unit (44). The packaging (30) hermetically encloses the disposable bioprocessing component (20) and has a flexible packaging wall. The disposable bioprocessing component (20) and the packaging (30). are sterilized by being jointly irradiated with ionizing radiation. The sensor electronics (42) are connected electrically to a contact unit (34) extending through the packaging wall.

Abstract: A filter module for sterile filtration and virus filtration of fluid media. The filter module includes a filter membrane with a porous edge structure arranged thereon and at least one anchoring element. The filter membrane with the porous edge structure is embedded in the anchoring element and serves as edge reinforcement to improve the connection of the filter membrane to the anchoring element. The texturing or surface roughness of the edge reinforcement provides an interlocking effect between the filter membrane and the anchoring element. The embedding of the filter membrane in the anchoring element provides a fluid-tight connection of the membrane to the anchoring element which prevents the occurrence of leaks in the end region of the filter module. A method for producing the filter module is also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a modular processing system for biopharmaceutical and/or chemical processes, comprising: at least one processing unit; at least one adapter plate, which can be directly or indirectly fluidically connected to the processing unit, wherein the adapter plate has at least one adapter channel, through which at least one fluid flow can flow to the processing unit, wherein the adapter plate also has at least one deflection element and/or a pump and/or at least one valve; and an external control device. The adapter plate is designed in such a way that the fluid flow to the processing unit can be at least partially deflected with the at least one deflection element in the adapter channel and/or the fluid flow, preferably its pressure, is controllable with the at least one valve and/or the pump in the adapter channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of changing culture medium of a suspension culture, the suspension culture comprising cells suspended in the culture medium, the method comprising: (i) transferring a fraction of the suspension culture into a container, wherein the container comprises at least one opening at the bottom; (ii) allowing the cells comprised in the fraction of the suspension to settle at the at least one opening at the bottom of the container by gravitation, thereby forming a supernatant; (iii) dispensing the cells settled at the bottom of the container (back) into the suspension culture; (iv) discarding the supernatant.

Abstract: A filter module (10) has a housing (12) which is subdivided by a membrane filter (14) into an inlet chamber (16), which is connected to an inlet connecting piece (22) arranged rigidly on the housing (12), and an outlet chamber (18), which has a filtrate outlet (20). The inlet connecting piece has two connectors, specifically a first connector (26) and a second connector (28), which connect selectively and fluidically to the inlet chamber with a 3-way valve (24) integrated into the inlet connecting piece. The valve has a first entry, which is connected to the first connector, a second entry, which is connected to the second connector, and an exit, which is connected to the inlet chamber. The first connector is configured as an adapter for outwardly sealed coupling of a culture medium bottle (30), which coupling permits a gravity-driven exchange of liquid with the first entry of the valve.

Abstract: A single use probe, sterilizable by irradiation, for a single use component for use in a biopharmaceutical process, comprises at least one sensor relevant for the biopharmaceutical process, an RFID tag and a memory rewritable in principle, in which data with respect to an integrity check of the single use probe are stored. A method for quality assurance of such a single use probe comprises: providing the probe with an RFID tag and a memory rewritable in principle, in particular a FeRAM memory as part of the RFID tag; defining a measurement-principle-specific quality parameter of the single use probe; defining a tolerance value for the parameter; performing an integrity check of the probe by first determining and writing into the memory values of the defined quality parameter before sterilization of the probe by irradiation; determining the values of the defined quality parameter after irradiation; and comparing the values of the quality parameter determined before radiation to those determined after.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanically stable ultrafiltration membrane and to a method for producing such an ultrafiltration membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous monolayer polymer membrane, to a porous monolayer polymer membrane, and to the use of the polymer membrane for filtration.

Abstract: A system for an automated production of high cell density seed culture, HCDC, preparations, for cryo-preservation comprising a cell expansion device for growing a HCDC in a medium inside a device volume of the cell expansion device, at least one sensor for collecting data by at least temporally monitoring at least one parameter being indicative of the physiological state of the HCDC; and a control unit for processing the collected data to determine whether at least one predetermined criterion is fulfilled by the monitored parameter to control, based on whether the at least one predetermined criterion is fulfilled by the monitored parameter, at least a partial exchange of the medium by a cryo-protective agent, CPA.

Abstract: The invention relates to an annular connection clamp with a first clamping flange (22) which protrudes radially inwards and with an axial counter bearing (24) which is spaced from the clamping flange and which is made of a first and a second half-ring segment (20), each half-ring segment having a first and a second segment end. The first segment end of the first half-ring segment (20) has latching means (281) of a first type, and the second segment end of the second half-ring segment has corresponding latching means (282) of a second type, said latching means being pushed into each other in a tangential direction, thereby being latchable together. The second segment end of the half-ring segment (20) has latching means (282) of a second type, and the first segment end of the second half-ring segment (20) has latching means (281) of a first type, said latching means being pushed into each other in a tangential direction, thereby being latchable together.