Production Process

Development of Candidate Molecules

The first step in the production process is our research team searching for and developing a colorful diversity of candidate molecules, such as the target molecules or the antibodies involved in various diseases, which have the potential to become the next generation Biologics agents.
Development of Cell Strains

Cell Strains are developed for providing the specific strain of immortalized cells that are genetically engineered to accommodate only the production of desired target proteins.
Production Process Development

The production process involved in cell culture and purification is developed for providing the optimized target protein production. This phase includes the design and optimization of culture medium, variable-controlled optimization of cell quality, and resin combination for purification. Through the built-up technology for cell culture and purification, the optimum level production process is achieved.

Preparation of Culture Medium and Buffer Solution

Culture medium contains the base materials essential for cell proliferation, and at Celltrion, we develop and manufacture our own medium for Culture. Buffer solution is used to stabilize cellular protein extraction by playing the role of liquid shock absorber and pH control agent. It is crucial that the necessary conditions for both the culture medium and the buffer solution be maintained steadily and accurately as possible. Otherwise, they would support the production of completely different molecules and negatively affect the quality of the finished products.
Cell Culture

Cell strains are defrosted, and cell count is gradually increased over the period of 6 weeks of cell division from the Flask phase with an initial capacity less than 1 liter to the production bioreactor phase with the capacity of 15,000 liters. In the bioreactor phase, which is the last stage of cell culture, not a simple increase in the number of cells but a process of maximizing the protein production is mediated.

Initial Purification

Purification is the process by which the proteins that will be used as the source of pharmaceutical agents get extracted from the culture medium from which the cells and cell debris have been removed. At the initial purification phase, the target proteins are extracted, and viruses are removed through multi-step chromatography and viral filtration.
Final Purification

At the final purification phase, there are two processes: the concentration process in which the final concentration of the target proteins is calibrated, and the substitution process in which the target proteins are transferred into the buffer solution suitable for the final injectable products.
Final Filtration

Through this phase, all microbial organisms are filtered out so that what remains is the optimized buffer solution containing the target proteins without a trace of impurities.

Packing and Packaging of Finished Biologics Products

The completion process must be strictly monitored and be performed in aseptic conditions so the target proteins are transformed into the final injectable products without variation in quality. The completion facilities at Celltrion received the first-ever GMP approval from the FDA in the field of production of injectable products in the Republic of Korea.
RABS(Restricted Access Barrier System)

A single production line governs the whole completion process from packing to packaging through an automated system, and a restricted access barrier system blocks the source of any forms of contamination. The results are thoroughly managed high-standard quality products. Celltrion's quality products are inspected one last time before finally being packaged and supplied.

Celltrion