Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

Biotechnol Prog 2013 May;29(3):745-53

Fermentanomics informed amino acid supplementation of an antibody producing mammalian cell culture.

Read EK, Bradley SA, Smitka TA, Agarabi CD, Lute SC, Brorson KA

Fermentanomics, or a global understanding of a culture state on the molecular level empowered by advanced techniques like NMR, was employed to show that a model hybridoma culture supplied with glutamine and glucose depletes aspartate, cysteine, methionine, tryptophan, and tyrosine during antibody production. Supplementation with these amino acids prevents depletion and improves culture performance. Furthermore, no significant changes were observed in the distribution of glycans attached to the IgG3 in cultures supplemented with specific amino acids, arguing that this strategy can be implemented without fear of impacts on important product quality attributes. In summary, a targeted strategy of quantifying media components and designing a supplementation strategy can improve bioprocess cell cultures when enpowered by fermentanomics tools.