California, US-based MRT makes miniature high-throughput process development (HTPD) systems that, it claims, can accurately model the performance of everything from bench-top bioreactors to 200,000L cell culture and microbial fermentation reactors.
The MRT system is composed of 24 individual disposable bioreactor cassettes, each of which can be independently controlled and monitored for key process parameters, including pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature.
Pall said that: “Speed to market continues to be a critical driver in the biopharmaceuticals industry,” adding that HTPD “enables biotech drug development activities to be accomplished much faster and with less material”.
The US giant produces a range of biopharmaceutical process development and monitoring technologies under its Total Fluid Management range, so the MRT platform fits well with the existing offering.
In a press statement Pall CEO Eric Krasnoff said that: “Customers seek better tools for rapid process development and process monitoring. The addition of MRT further broadens Pall Life Sciences support of customers in this rapidly growing market."
MRT president Stephen Boyer was also positive about the deal, suggesting that "it enables our customers to exploit on a wider scale, the very significant advantages that the Micro-24 bioreactor technology is bringing to the industry."
The biopharmaceutical industry has been a key area for Pall in recent times as its energy, water, aerospace and microelectronics business have all seen revenues decline.
In contract, Pall’s sales to the biopharmaceutical sector for the most recently reported quarter, ending October 31, grew 12 per cent to $143, helping the firm’s life science business to grow 8.4 per cent to $239m.
New protein processing columns
In other news, Pall recently announced the launch of a new range of 5 mL PRC prepacked chromatography columns that are designed to deliver faster and more consistent protein purification processing.
The columns for ion exchange and mixed-mode chromatography, which is an approach the firm believes can lower processing costs and save laboratory time by reducing inconsistencies associated with manually packed columns.
David Lescinski, VP of chromatography, said the “Columns allow researchers and process developers to quickly and easily evaluate different sorbents early in the drug development process so they can obtain necessary scale-up data.”