PRODUCTION OF RECOMBINANT HUMAN INTERLEUKIN-2 WITH BHK CELLS IN A HOLLOW FIBER AND A STIRRED TANK REACTOR WITH PROTEIN-FREE MEDIUM

For the production of recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2) two different culture processes, a 1-2 liter homogeneous stirred bubble-free aerated system and a dense cell hollow fibre bioreactor were compared. Cultivations were carried out with serum- or protein-free medium formulations. In the stirred culture 0.75 mg IL-2 were produced with 1 l of perfused medium at a maximum cell number of 3 × 1010. The product yield in the hollow fibre module was only 0.23 mg l-1 at a maximum cell number of 6 × 1010. In contrast to results with hybridoma or EBV-transformed cell lines, in which hollow fibre bioreactors showed comparable efficiency to perfused stirred tank reactors, the tissue-like cell density is disadvantageous as adherent cells tend to stick together leaving insufficient intercellular space for removal of product. © 1990.