4.4.4 Continuous flow bioreactors with a special smart coating
Continuous bioreactors constantly convert raw material inputs into intermediate or final products. These systems can have the advantage of lowering manufacturing costs, reducing the footprint of the production facility and overall improved quality, reproducibility and standardization of outputs. Miotto et al. [38] recently reported the
first successful proof-of-concept design for a closed, continuous system for therapeutic cell production using fibroblast-like cells [39]. The key technological element in the system is a smart enzyme-sensitive coating comprising a fully synthetic, multifunctional peptide amphiphile. With this special coating material, it was possible to achieve a steady-state condition, where the number of cells detached/produced for downstream applications was matched by their proliferation. These researchers have only demonstrated their technology at the very small scale on coverslips in 6-well plates, but have formed a company, CellulaREvolution Ltd, to examine its utility in the cultivated meat space [39]. Undoubtedly, computational modeling techniques can be applied to further examine this novel technology, and assess whether it can be applied to the future design of an actual at-scale, closed, continuous bioreactor system. Reports of continuous bioprocess systems for viral vaccine production using different cell lines [40] should inform the design process for similar bioprocesses in cultivated meat.