Defining the implementation of single-use technology: a comparative evaluation of a single-use bioreactor with a stainless-steel bioreactor

The exploitation of single-use systems (SUS) has become a major subject in the biopharmaceutical industry, covering the entire product life cycle, with applications in discovery, development and through to licensed product. The implementation of SUS is a complex subject and subject to differing interpretations. The experience of SUS implementation in Valneva (Nantes, France) is reported here, reviewed together with other references and our lessons learned to illustrate that implementation must be a structured process with clear aims. Some experience gained is illustrated with a practical example that illustrates the difference in exploitation between a single-use bioreactor and a classical stainless steel bioreactor, showing how using SUS can improve operating efficiency and time.