Single-use is the future of biomanufacturing: report from Interphex

Speaking to in-PharmaTechnologist at the conference in New York, experts from five Big Pharma firms – GE Healthcare, Pall, Sartorius Stedim, Novasep and IMA – cheered the quick turn-around time of disposable tech.

And whilst some heralded the time and cost benefits of using processing and manufacturing tech once, others championed the new possibilities it creates.

Ian Sellick, director of marketing at Pall, said: “It allows you to throw away some of the old methods of doing things because you no longer have to worry about re-using equipment simply because you’re not going to have to use that equipment a second time. ​

“An example of that is in protein concentration, where you can now concentrate proteins in line without having to worry whether the membranes are suitable for re-use afterwards.”​

However, whilst it seems throwaway equipment is the dish of the day, Sartorius Stedim key account manager Floris De Smet warned that there are possible stumbling blocks.

He said that companies should be diligent when it comes to the supply chain for the parts.