Sartorius Stedim Biotech (SSB) has launched Virosart Media for virus retention in cell culture media.
The media filter is designed to offer manufacturers a fast and cost-effective solution to reduce the risk of virus contamination resulting from raw materials, such as chemically defined media, during fermentation.
Virosart Media is a single-use filter qualified for > 4 log10 reduction of small, non-enveloped viruses (e.g., MVM) and as a mycoplasma and leptospira retentive filter.
Mid-scale and process filters of the range also qualify as sterile filters, based on the current ASTM guideline.
The first product of the Virosart Media family is a lab filter with a filtration area of 5.0 cm2 for down-scale, flow and capacity studies. The mid-scale filter with 0.29 m² and the process filters with 1 m² and 3 m² will follow in the second half of 2016.
"In the past, downstream virus filters have been used in upstream processing as there were no other adequate solutions available. Our new membrane filter Virosart Media finally closes this gap in the market,” said Birte Kleindienst, expert for viral clearance at Sartorius Stedim Biotech.
By launching Virosart Media filter, SSB aims to round out customers’ individual risk mitigation strategy in upstream processing with an additional option: With the filters Sartopore 2 XLG (0.2 µm) for sterile filtration, Sartopore 2 XLM (0.1 µm) for retention of mycoplasma and with its Virosart Media filter (20 nm) for virus retention, SSB enables customers to mitigate risk at three different levels.
