Advances in surfactants are transforming the landscape of mammalian cell cultures used for producing monoclonal antibodies and viral vectors. Peptonic ih-T1010, a new peptide and peptoid mimetic of poloxamers, is gaining traction as a robust alternative to conventional poloxamer surfactants.
Stefano Menegatti, PhD, from North Carolina State University, emphasizes that Peptonic ih-T1010 offers biopharmaceutical manufacturers a chemically defined solution that enhances reproducibility and process robustness while maintaining critical performance metrics such as cell growth and product quality. The significant foam suppression observed with Peptonic ih-T1010 presents opportunities to reduce antifoam usage, thereby streamlining upstream operations without affecting downstream affinity capture.
Recent research conducted by a collaborative team from Merck, KBI Biopharma, Chromagenix, and NC State University demonstrated that CHO cell densities and final mAb titers achieved with Peptonic ih-T1010 were comparable to those obtained with poloxamer 188, the industry standard. Notably, both surfactants yielded similar product glycosylation and aggregation profiles. Furthermore, HEK293 cell cultures also showed promising results, with cell viability exceeding 90% and comparable titers between the two surfactants.
The negligible foam generated by Peptonic ih-T1010 allowed researchers to eliminate the defoaming step, which typically hinders cell growth and increases filter fouling. This simplification not only enhances downstream purification but also minimizes process variability and cytotoxicity risks. Menegatti points out that the findings are equally relevant for continuous bioprocessing, highlighting the potential of peptonics in perfusion and intensified production formats.
As the demand for secreted biologics like antibodies grows, the advantages of peptonics become increasingly apparent. However, to fully leverage this innovative surfactant, pilot studies focusing on scale-up, supply consistency, and regulatory comparability are essential for broader industrial adoption. Menegatti’s research supports the notion that further validation in continuous manufacturing settings will be crucial to realizing the full potential of Peptonic ih-T1010 in biopharmaceutical applications.
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