In this day and age, there is an increasing demand for biologics, and now there are many companies in the biotech industry using what is known as single-use bioprocessing disposable bag technologies to facilitate quick turnaround of products.
Single-use systems (SUS) are biopharmaceutical or bioprocessing manufacturing equipment that are designed to be used only once and then thrown away. In general, SUS equipment is made up of primarily plastic components that have been sealed and sterilized with the help of gamma irradiation. In this article, we will discuss the reasons why companies love to use this product and its benefits.
Highly Cost-effective
This single-use bioprocessing disposable equipment can really help in cost savings. It has helped to eliminate the complex process of sterilization and cleaning of the bioreactor systems and accessories. Now one can simply just use it and dispose of it when it is at the end of its lifespan. Therefore, the single-use bioprocessing systems play a crucial role in helping to reduce the heavy investments needed in the biotech industry.
Highly Productive
In addition, the use of the single-use bioprocessing system has helped to increase the overall productivity of the manufacturing processes due to reduction in complexity of the need for sterilization and cleaning as mentioned. It has helped to reduce direct cost in labour and materials as well. The cost of labour needed to assemble the SUS is much lower compared to the creation of the stainless steel hardware systems. The use of the single-use systems also removes the need for additional sterilize-in-place (SIP) steps, which reduces the overall operating costs.
Easy Disposal
The significant difference as one may easily notice is that these single-use operations is that they are highly disposable and do not require intense inspection and sanitation. In addition, the materials used to manufacture these items can be easily disposed after use, thus cutting down on maintenance.
Less Energy Demand
In actual fact, using single-use systems compared to conventional equipment has greatly reduced the need for water use, and thus reduces the overall energy consumption. At present, it is mentioned that biopharmaceutical manufacturing plants that transited have experienced almost a 50{ae514a3737d85ea64aeb2cb88bf523835c3e1315e3b3c65ffee7dd6cf13b9d2b} decline in total water consumption compared to the stainless-steel reactor set-up.
Safety
Lastly, companies using these single-use systems enjoy a greater safety level. It is a known fact that product contamination has always been a major problem in the healthcare industry. Because the same process equipment is used time and time again, this leads to the production of several antibodies or proteins. Through the use of the single-use systems, the risk of contamination is greatly reduced as a new sanitized batch is always used after.