GE Healthcare Expands its Filtration Product Offering by Adding Normal Flow Filters
06 March 2007
The purification of biological therapeutics generally utilizes Cross Flow Filters (CFF or TFF), Normal (dead-end) Flow Filters (NFF)and chromatographic separations. CFF and NFF 'positive barrier' separations are complementary to chromatography.
Delivering filtration solutions and support integrated for bioprocess applications, GE Healthcare's Life Sciences division is at every step and every scale of the drug development, validation, and manufacturing processes. Historically, in addition to chromatography products, GE Healthcare (GEHC) has offered cross flow filtration cartridges, cassettes and systems for the separation and purification of aqueous fluids in the biopharmaceutical industry. They have now expanded their range of filtration product offerings by including Normal Flow Filter (NFF) products.
Normal Flow Filtration (NFF)
A comprehensive range of normal flow products will soon be available for increasing process efficiency from early phase product development through to full bioprocess filtration production. Examples of operations that normal flow products perform include:
- Chromatography column protection - reduces bioburden and particulates immediately before chromatography columns
- Clarification - a range of prefiltration products providing consistent performance with wide chemical compatibility
- Bioburden reduction - extensive membrane and depth media products to meet individual application requirements
- Liquid sterilization - filters incorporating high-flow membrane formats minimize filtration system sizes while meeting full validation and integrity test requirements
ULTA™ - Current Normal Flow Product Offering
ULTA Prime CG filter cartridges and capsules are specifically designed for consistently controlling bioburden and particle retention in a variety of pH ranges and feed streams. The pleated polyethersulfone (PES) membrane combined with thermal-bonded construction, in both capsule and cartridge formats, ensures low extractables and quick flush-up devices.
Target applications:
- Column guard - reduces bioburden and particulates immediately before chromatography columns
- Sterile filter protection - prefilters solutions upstream of the sterilizing grade filter
- General bioburden control - logs reduction of bacteria when sterility is not required
ULTA Prime GF liquid filter cartridges are utilized for the clarification, stabilization and bioburden reduction of aqueous solutions, media and biologicals. These filters have high dirt-holding capacity and exhibit exceptional flow performance compared to polypropylene filters. The hydrophilic nature of ULTA Prime GF filter cartridges also makes them more suitable for gravity fed systems.
Target applications
- Prefiltration of Biopharmaceuticals including tissue culture media and protein solutions
- Biologicals such as serum and veterinary vaccines
- Provides optimal protection for final membrane filters
- Ideal for batch or small volume processes
ULTA Prime PP liquid filter cartridges are utilized for the clarification and prefiltration of a biopharmaceutical and ultrapure applications. The all-polypropylene construction ensures a broad range of chemical compatibility, making ULTA Prime PP cartridges particularly suitable for the filtration of aggressive and viscous chemicals and solvents.
Target applications:
- Bio-Burden reduction
- Buffer prefiltration, water, media, and alcohol
- Serum and tissue culture media clarification
- Pre and post chromatography
- Disposable laboratory prefiltration
ULTA Pure SG incorporates a high-flow, low-binding polythethersulphone membrane for sterile grade filtration of aqueous solutions. These offer validated microbial removal efficiency (including mycoplasma) at 0.2micron and 0.1micron ratings. The membrane has an asymmetrical pore structure with a high voids volume, which offers high dirt-holding capacity, resulting in higher throughputs and higher flow rates than symmetrical membranes.All products are supported by detailed validation documentation.
Target applications:
- Final filtration of drugs and biologicals
- Pre- and post-filtration for buffer solutions, water, media and alcohol
- Pre- and post chromatography filtration
- LVPs, SVPs
- Serum and tissue culture media filtration
ULTA Pure HC cartridge filters have been specifically designed for the effective and economical processing of difficult to filter solutions associated with biopharmaceutical and diagnostics production. The ULTA Pure HC PES membrane features a highly asymmetric membrane prefilter layer, which significantly extends throughput. These cartridge filters are high capacity and fast flowing.
Target applications
- Serum filtration
- Cell culture media filtration
- Concentrated protein solutions
- Filtration of acids, bases, and oxidants
- Filtration of pharmaceutical solutions
