The Automation Partnership (cambridge) Limited

Tap Biosystems (phc) Limited

Merck + Co., Inc.

The Automation Partnership Ltd.

Thermogenic Imaging, Inc.

Adrian Neil Bargh

Stephen Owen

Sean Kenneth Sullivan

Adrian James Stacey

Andrew H Proudfoot

Michael Kennedy

Nicholas J Sleep

Justin Michael Owen

Yevgeniy Margolin

John Paul James Betts

Philip Russel James Smith

Stefanie Meyer

Timothy Iain Mead

Scott Morley

The present invention relates to a filtration system comprising a cabinet, a filtration device having a filtrate or retentate vessel arranged outside the cabinet, and a weighing device that is configured to weigh the filtrate or retentate vessel. The weighing device can be arranged inside an enclosure and the enclosure can be arranged inside the cabinet.

Filtration system and weighing device therefor

The present invention relates to devices and methods for improving and evaluating stability of pumped protein solutions in cross-flow filtration applications. Inter alia, the present invention provides a peristaltic pump for cross-flow filtration having a pump head, wherein the pump head comprises a stepped occlusion plate and at least one pump roller, wherein a tubing is to be arranged between the stepped occlusion plate and the at least one pump roller, wherein the stepped occlusion plate has a specific configuration.

Devices and methods for improving and evaluating stability of pumped protein solutions in bioprocessing systems

A bioreactor outlet air conditioning system () has a bioreactor vessel () and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a fluid flow path () from a headspace () in the vessel for venting air from the vessel, and a temperature control element () in thermal contact with the fluid flow path (). The fluid flow path () may be defined by a disposable portion of the bioreactor vessel (). A method of controlling evaporation within a bioreactor vessel (), dependent on the required evaporation rate, adjusts the temperature of the temperature control element () to control the rate of evaporation of the liquid media () from the vessel (), and may include monitoring fluids in the fluid flow path () to detect at least water content of the fluids exiting the vessel to adjust the temperature and control the rate of evaporation dependent on the detected water content levels.

Bioreactor outlet air conditioning systems and associated methods

A bioreactor consumable unit () comprises a bioreactor part (); a fluid feed container part () integrally connected with the bioreactor part and including at least one fluid feed container () in fluid communication with the bioreactor (); and an integral pumping element () configured to enable fluid to flow from the at least one fluid feed container () to the bioreactor (). The bioreactor part () includes a bioreactor chamber () and a stirrer () for agitation of a cell culture () in the chamber. The pumping element comprises a combination of a syringe pump () and an associated three-way valve (). The bioreactor consumable unit () may be inserted into a receiving station () of a cell culture module () for the processing and control of a bioreaction in the bioreactor chamber (). The provision of the fluid feed containers () and the pumping element () as integral parts of the bioreactor consumable unit () facilitates the set-up of the processing, because the various fluid connections between those components are already established. The syringe pump () provides accurate dispensing of fluids to the bioreactor chamber ().

Bioreactor consumable units

A bioreactor vessel () is provided with a rigid ledge projecting to a side thereof and defining fluid conduits (-) between three respective externally-facing ports (-) and a vessel chamber (). A bioreactor system includes a cell culture module () having a receiving station () in which the vessel () is received, in use. Three fluid connection ports (-) are located adjacent to the receiving station () and are in fluid connection with associated gas and/or liquid input lines (-, via a valve assembly (). When the vessel () is inserted into the receiving station, the rigid nature of the ledge and the defined positions of the receiving station connection ports (-) mean that the externally-facing ports (-) on the vessel are brought into registration with the receiving station connection ports (-), thereby forming respective fluid connections automatically, without having to manually couple fluid lines on the vessel () to ports on the cell culture base ().

Bioreactor vessels and associated bioreactor systems

Bioreactor vessel

A bioreactor processing unit () includes at least one cell culture module () comprising: a base () including a receiving station () for removably receiving a plurality of bioreactor vessels () at respective locations (); and a clamp plate (). The clamp plate () is removably connectable to the base (). The system further includes a drive mechanism () and multiple fluid conduits. When the system is to be used for an experiment run, vessels () are loaded into the receiving station () and the clamp plate () is connected to the base (), forming a connection between the drive mechanism and the vessels, for transmitting input motion from the drive mechanism () into multiple rotary motion outputs for turning a stirrer () in each vessel (). At the same time, connection of the clamp plate to the base forms a fluid connection between the multiple fluid conduits and an input port () in each respective vessel via associated multiple outlet ports () in the clamp plate and associated fluid connectors. The system further includes at least one sensor () that is mounted so as to be movable to a position adjacent to each respective vessel location () for monitoring the contents of each vessel ().

Bioreactor systems and associated methods of processing bioreactor vessels

A capper/de-capper systemhas a rack supportfor supporting a rackcontaining a plurality of capped tubesin a given position. A head unitsupports a two-dimensional array of capping/de-capping spindles, each of which includes a clutchand a capping/de-capping spigotor socket, the spindles being aligned with the tube positions defined in the rack. A drive mechanismmoves the tubes and the head unit relatively towards and away from one another in use, when a rack containing capped tubes is disposed in the rack support, causing engagement and disengagement of the capping/de-capping spigots or sockets with and from the tube caps. A spindle drive system-provides simultaneous rotation of the capping/de-capping spigots or sockets together after engagement with the caps, either to detach caps from the tubes or attach caps to the tubes.

Tube capper/decapper

A tube for storing micro-liter volumes is provided. The tube is open at one end and comprises a body portion of substantially square cross section; a shoulder portion at one end of the body portion and providing the open end of the tube, the cross section of the shoulder portion being greater than that of the body portion; and a formation providing a snap fit connector portion at the other end.

Tube for storing fluid

Culture vessel block

Filter block

An automated packaging line has capability of filling large and small orders, of one or more bottles, each bottle filled with a respective one of a plurality of different pharmaceutical tablets, in a single run. Structure is provided for filling orders for an individual consumer, for a pharmacist, and for a wholesaler, simultaneously, using differently sized bottles, and providing customized labels for each bottle. A flexible filler station simultaneously fills plural bottles with respective tablets. An intelligent data carrying puck carries each bottle, including therein information describing, among others, the bottle, the customer, the order, the pharmaceutical, the bottle size and label information. Puck handling stations (PHS) are dispersed throughout the line, to verify a number of operations implemented on the line and to reject a puck at the earliest opportunity, while permitting subsequent rejection by a subsequent PHS. The PHS units are substantially identical, with DIP switch modifying operation of the controlling software thereof to implement different features at different points on the line. The pucks are recycled after each pass along the line. An initializing PHS wipes clean the puck data storage and, in a fail safe operation, marks it as a reject. The flexible filler station must mark the puck acceptable. Each subsequent PHS, following the flexible filler station, following a capper and following a label printer, may reject the puck if marked as a reject or if failing to meet various criteria

Customer specific packaging line

An automated packaging line for filling large and small orders, of one or more bottles, each bottle filled with a respective one of a plurality of different pharmaceutical tablets, in a single run. An intelligent data carrying puck carries each bottle, including therein information describing, among others, the bottle, the customer, the order, the pharmaceutical, the bottle size and label information. Puck handling stations (PHS) are dispersed throughout the line, to verify a number of operations implemented on the line and to reject a puck at the earliest opportunity, while permitting subsequent rejection by a subsequent PHS. The PHS units are substantially identical, with DIP switch modifying operation of the controlling software thereof to implement different features at different points on the line.

Growing community of inventors

Royston, United Kingdom

Adrian Neil Bargh