Process for prefiltration of a protein solution

Abstract

A process is provided for selectively removing plugging constituents from a biomolecule containing solution in a normal flow (NFF) filtration process before viral filtration. Preferably, it relates to a process for selectively removing plugging constituents from a biomolecule protein solution in a normal flow (NFF) filtration process and virus particles from the solution in a two-step filtration process. In a first step, a biomolecule solution is filtered through a filtration device containing one or more plugging constituent removing media in the form of one or more layers of adsorptive depth filters, filled microporous membranes or a small bed of media in a normal flow filtration mode of operation, to produce a plugging constituent-free stream. The plugging constituent-free stream can then be filtered through one or more ultrafiltration membranes to retain virus particles at a retention level of at least 3 LRV and to allow passage therethrough of a plugging constituent-free and virus-free biomolecule containing solution.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.