Evaluation of selected control strategies for fed-batch cultures of a hybridoma cell line

While fed-batch suspension culture of animal cells continues to be of industrial importance for the large-scale production of pharmaceutical products, existing control concepts are still insufficient. The present paper illustrates the advantages and disadvantages of different fed-batch strategies, including fixed-feed trajectories, control via OUR (oxygen uptake rate) (stoichiometric feeding), a priori determination of feed trajectories based on a kinetic model and the model-based adaptive OLFO (open-loop-feedback-optimal) control strategy. A recommendation as to which control strategy should be used for a specific process has to consider the respective process. For an established process with a well characterized and stable production cell line, probably the application of a fixed feed trajectory should be recommended. An adaptive, model-based control strategy could be the method of choice during cell-line development or for rapid production of small amounts of product for clinical trials, owing to its universal character and because it does not require intensive process development.