As upstream intensification becomes the new standard in bioprocessing, manufacturers face increasing pressure to efficiently harvest high‑density cell cultures. Traditional filtration systems struggle as solids loads rise, requiring large volumes of filters, generating substantial plastic waste, and adding significant operational costs. Stainless‑steel centrifuges deliver strong performance, but their dependence on CIP/SIP cycles, lengthy cleaning routines and fixed infrastructure limits flexibility in modern multiproduct GMP facilities.
Single‑use separation technologies like Alfa Laval’s CultureOne™ address these challenges by combining high‑performance disc‑stack separation with the agility of disposable processing. At the heart of the system is the single‑use Spinsert™, a pre‑sterilized, ready‑to‑run bowl and disc‑stack assembly. High centrifugal force, a large separation area and Hermetic Design™ ensure gentle, foam‑free acceleration — minimizing shear and reducing cell lysis while maintaining high product quality.
Roger Lundblad, a single-use expert at Alfa Laval, highlights the separator’s environmental impact. “With CultureOne, biopharmaceutical manufacturers using single-use can significantly reduce plastic waste with each batch. In some cases, the number of filters needed is reduced by up to 80%. This not only lowers costs but also dramatically decreases solid and liquid waste.” For instance, a typical 2000-litres batch can save more than 500 kg of solid waste per batch with CultureOne Maxi, when compared to using single-use depth filters.
These sustainability improvements go hand in hand with higher product recovery. CultureOne technology increases yields from 92.5% to 98%. This translates to a recovery of 99 additional litres of centrate. At a typical titer of 3 grams per liter, this results in 297 more grams of product recovered.
Operational advantages further strengthen the case: single‑use assemblies eliminate cleaning and validation, shorten turnaround times, and reduce downtime. Systems arrive pre‑assembled and ready to run, improving workflow efficiency and reducing maintenance requirements.
As biomanufacturing scales, these systems offer a viable solution for high‑density cell harvesting — closing the performance gap between stainless‑steel separation and the evolving demands of single‑use processing.
Alfa Laval will be present at Single-Use Event Basel 2026.
Single-Use Event Basel 2026 is the ultimate networking event for professionals in bioprocessing, biotechnology and (bio)pharmaceutical manufacturing, with a focus on single use. Taking place on March 19, 2026, at Congress Center Messe Basel, the event offers a full day of innovation, insights and interaction.