Over the past decade, single-use technologies (SUTs) have become an essential part of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Initially met with skepticism, these disposable solutions have now proven to be transformative, offering distinct advantages over traditional stainless-steel systems.

At mAbxience, with more than 14 years of expertise in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, we have implemented single-use systems across all our facilities in Spain and South America, and we have seen firsthand how they contribute to efficient, scalable operations. In this blog, we will explore the benefits of SUTs, address sustainability challenges, and explain why they have become the dominant choice, widely adopted and integrated, in modern biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

(What’s the story) single-use glory?

Despite initial concerns around waste generation and sustainability, these technologies have been integrated into biopharmaceutical manufacturing since the first single-use bioreactor emerged in the 1990s, coinciding with a general rise in biological therapies. Today, they are a driving force behind process acceleration, offering:

• Efficiency

With disposable systems, the need for cleaning, sterilization, and validation between production runs is eliminated. This significantly shortens change-over times, making operations faster and more efficient.

• Reduced risks of contamination

Pre-sterilized by design, single-use systems significantly reduce the risk of cross-contamination between batches, also accelerating validation processes.

• Cost-effectiveness

These advantages are the cause and result of highly flexible systems, adapting to the needs of each project and offering affordable initial set-ups and effective turnover.

The power of single-use for flexible processes

Accelerating manufacturing operations, SUTs allow companies like mAbxience to move products forward without compromising on quality or safety standards, ensuring that high-quality biopharmaceutical products reach the market faster.

The flexibility of single-use systems is another major advantage. Counting on SUTs from bioreactors to connectors, tubes, filters and other assembling components, biomanufacturers can quickly adapt to different production scales and product types, accommodating everything from small to large commercial batches with seamless transfers. This adaptability was particularly beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic when the need for speed and scalability surged.

Could disposable and sustainable coexist?

SUTs offer clear operational benefits, but their disposable nature raises sustainability concerns compared to their stainless-steel counterparts. On one hand, their carbon footprint is lower due to the reduced need for resources like water, energy, and cleaning chemicals. On the other hand, they cause higher waste generation and advancements in the industry are pushing for even more sustainable solutions, with suppliers continuously improving the recyclability and performance of disposable components.

Life cycle assessments (LCAs) comparing single-use bioreactors (SUBs) to stainless-steel bioreactors (SSBs) are essential to define impact related to management of disposable materials and develop further sustainable practices.

Discover more about our cutting-edge technologies and how mAbxience is leading the way in sustainable biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Contact us today to learn how we can support your biopharmaceutical development needs.