Modular system and process for the continuous, microbe-reduced production and/or processing of a product

A method for continuous, microbe-reduced production and/or processing of a biopharmaceutical, biological macromolecular product from a heterogeneous cell culture-fluid mixture, comprising:

• (a) providing a particle-free fluid from a heterogeneous cell culture-fluid mixture containing the product, in the form of a product stream, (b) at least one filtration, providing a filtrate, (c) at least two chromatography steps for purifying the product, (d) at least one virus depletion selected from the group consisting of pH adjustment by way of suitable acid, use of a solvent and detergent treatment, and by UV or thermal treatment, (e) at least one ultrafiltration and/or at least one diafiltration of the product stream of (b), (c) and/or (d),
• wherein the at least two chromatography steps from (c) comprise a purification via at least two chromatography columns and/or membrane adsorbers and wherein
• the method is carried out in a closed and modular manner and is adapted to allow for addition of materials from outside the closed and modular manner,
• wherein the product is not exposed to a room environment, and
• wherein all elements used in (a) to (e) that come into contact with the product are subjected to microbe reduction via a microbe-reduction method, the microbe-reduction method being selected from the group consisting of gamma irradiation, beta irradiation, autoclaving, ethylene oxide (ETO) treatment, ozone (O3) treatment, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment and steam-in-place (SIP) treatment,
• wherein at least one filtration step comprising at least one filter is carried out between a) to e) and/or thereafter,
• and wherein the filter is automatically changed under microbe-reduced conditions, the automatic filter change comprising:
• (i) switching of the flow path to a new filter in the event of exceeding of a threshold at a pressure sensor on the non-filtrate side with closing of the flow path, or in the event of exceeding of a maximum time of the used filter in the flow path, or in the event of exceeding of a maximum volume of filtrate through the used filter,
• (ii) venting of the new filter via an air filter having a pore size of <=0.25 μm at the venting valve of the new filter,
• (iii) detecting the completion of venting of the new filter on the non-filtrate side by means of the pressure sensor or a fill-level sensor or a balance or a liquid detector,
• (iv) opening the filtrate outlet and closing the flow path between the venting valve and the air filter by means of a valve, and
• (v) exchanging the used filter for a new filter.