Continuous Precipitation of Biotherapeutics: A Review

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Authors: Maria del Carme Pons Royo, Vico Tenberg, Torsten Stelzer, Allan S. Myerson, Richard D. Braatz
Cited by: 2
References: 164

Abstract

Abstract The increasing efficiency of upstream production of biotherapeutics exposes significant challenges in downstream purification. Chromatography, the traditional gold standard, offers high purity and yield but faces limitations such as restricted mass transfer, limited capacity, and scalability issues, especially with high‐titer strains. As biomanufacturing moves toward fully continuous production, interest grows in alternatives beyond chromatography. Precipitation has emerged as a versatile, scalable, and titer‐independent technique that achieves yields and purities comparable to chromatography while offering simpler and more adaptable processing. It can be operated continuously, enabling seamless bioprocessing. Despite its potential, continuous precipitation remains less explored for biotherapeutics due to biomolecular complexity. Effective design requires deep understanding of thermodynamics, process modeling, hardware, and real‐time monitoring. This review discusses these critical factors, key design elements, and application examples, highlighting precipitation as a promising purification technology and exploring future research directions.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Protein purification and stability Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects

Publication details

Journal / source
ChemBioEng Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
13
Issue
1
Publication date
7 January 2026
Language
EN