Univercells Technologies, a Belgium-based Donaldson Life Sciences business and global provider of innovative bioprocessing solutions, has launched its scale-X (trademarked) nitro controller, the latest addition to its established scale-X fixed-bed bioreactor portfolio.
This development promises to broaden access to large-scale viral and advanced therapy manufacturing for both established and emerging biomanufacturers.
The new controller has been specifically designed to operate the 200 m² and 600 m² scale-X nitro bioreactors, further enhancing the company’s scalable bioprocessing platform.
The system offers a cost-effective, compact, and user-friendly solution for advanced therapy developers aiming to rapidly transition from research and development to commercial manufacturing in as little as eight months.
The new controller has been specifically designed to operate the 200 m² and 600 m² scale-X nitro bioreactors
Complementing Univercells Technologies’ NevoLine (trademarked) bioreactor platform, the scale-X nitro controller provides a high-productivity option for manufacturers seeking simplified, efficient viral vector production.
It supports both adherent and suspension cell cultures and is suitable for a broad range of applications, including viral vaccines, exosomes, lentiviral (LV) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector production, oncolytic viruses, and recombinant proteins.
Marie Jourdan, Director of the Bioprocessing Product Portfolio at Univercells Technologies, commented: “When we introduced the scale-X portfolio, our goal was to create a high-performance, cost-effective and scalable solution that could take users from early R&D through to GMP and commercial scale. This launch completes that vision. The new controller makes it possible for biotech and biopharma companies, CDMOs and academic institutions to scale up without added complexity or cost.”
The scale-X portfolio now offers a range of bioreactor sizes from 0.5 m² to 600 m², with the new controller unlocking the full potential of the larger-scale systems for users previously constrained by infrastructure or financial limitations.
The system offers a cost-effective, compact, and user-friendly solution for advanced therapy developers
Designed with a compact 1.6 m² footprint and standing under two metres tall, the unit is delivered as a single, wheeled system that can pass through standard cleanroom doorways and be positioned directly into production suites, streamlining setup and reducing time to operation. An intuitive user interface and simple, plug-and-play flow paths offer operational flexibility and quicker start-up times.
By combining high productivity with a reduced physical footprint, the scale-X nitro controller addresses critical challenges in vaccine and viral vector manufacturing.
According to Univercells Technologies, the system can lower production costs by between 36% and 82% compared with conventional adherent cell culture methods, thereby supporting more economically viable manufacturing and faster commercialisation timelines.
Top image: The scale-X nitro controller delivers high productivity while enabling rapid scalability from R&D to commercial production in just eight months.