(100a) Membrane Separations for Virus Particles in the Manufacture of Biotherapeutics

Separation processes are an essential part of chemical engineering practice and research. The AIChE Separations Division was officially founded in January 1991. The Separations Division just completed its 35^th year of operation. At the time of establishment, the Separations Division was to be a focal point for all Institute activities in separations, including furthering the significance of separations within the chemical engineering profession, and to provide much needed interaction and communication among chemical engineers in the field. The Separations Division has grown significantly since 1991. It continues to be a focal point for separations related activities within AIChE. This presentation will provide a brief introduction the Separations Division and its history.

Over the year separations challenge have changed. Separation processes are critical in numerous industries as is evidenced by the Separations Division Programming at this meeting. This presentation will focus on membrane separations for virus particles. Virus particles can be a contaminant or part of the product of interest. In the manufacture of biotherapeutics, the use of biological cells results in the need to validate clearance of contaminants such as host cell proteins, DNA and contaminating virus particles. On the other hand in the production of viral vectors for gene therapy treatments and viral vaccines, specific virus particles are the product of interest. Separation processes for removing unwanted virus particles and when appropriate, purifying the desired virus particles, is a recent separations challenge. Membrane separations are one technology for meeting this challenge.