Sartorius Control System Lifted Biomanufacturing Output
The new control architecture improved productivity for manufacturers of biologic products using continuous processing.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Manufacturing
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Sartorius researchers developed a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) system that increased CHO cell production by 68%. This system optimizes continuous biomanufacturing by managing feed, bleed, and harvest flows in real-time.
Why it matters
The system addresses the accumulation of inhibitory biomaterials that typically limit cell growth, allowing operators to maximize production while keeping viable cell density at or above 95%. This shift enables more precise performance tuning in continuous production environments.
The system delivered a 68% increase in CHO cell production compared to baseline methods, while maintaining viable cell density at or above 95%. These results were verified using digital twin modeling to simulate upstream productivity gains.
The players
Sartorius
A global provider of laboratory and process technologies for the biopharmaceutical industry.
The details
The NMPC system manages multiple process streams, including feed, bleed, and harvest flows, to optimize performance based on real-time constraints. It employs a moving horizontal estimate to account for unknown system states and accumulated biomaterials that inhibit cell productivity. Operators can switch between stable operations and an economic mode that calculates optimal conditions to maximize output.
Timeline
September 23, 2026: The research findings were published.
Market Landscape
The deployment of nonlinear model predictive control systems marks a shift toward dynamic automation in continuous biologic production. This aligns with a broader industry trend of using digital twins to optimize upstream productivity under variable process conditions.
Biomanufacturing managers should evaluate their current harvest flow systems against the 68% productivity gains demonstrated by NMPC architectures. Operators should review if their current monitoring stacks can support the data-heavy moving horizontal estimation required for these models.
The takeaway
Advanced predictive control models allow for the simultaneous optimization of yield and cell viability in continuous processes. Track the integration of these control systems against your current cell culture output metrics to identify potential throughput improvements.
Further reading
For more on the latest process technologies, explore our Manufacturing section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
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