Chromatography medium
The present invention provides a chromatography medium comprising one or more electrospun polymer nanofibers which form a stationary phase comprising a plurality of pores through which a mobile phase can permeate and use of the same in chromatography, such as the isolation of recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, viral vaccines and plasmid DNA. The invention further provides for the use of the chromatographic medium in a simulated moving bed system.
1. A method for isolating a target molecule by ion-exchange chromatography, which method comprises using a chromatography medium comprising one or more non-woven electrospun cellulose nanofibres which are fused together at points where the nanofibres intersect one another and which in use form a stationary phase in the form of a membrane comprising a plurality of pores through which a mobile phase can permeate.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the target molecule is a biological molecule.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the biological molecule has a molecular weight of 1 kDa to 200 kDa.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the biological molecule has a molecular weight of 10 kDa to 100 kDa.
5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the biological molecule is selected from the group comprising: recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, viral vaccines and plasmid DNA.
6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the biological molecule is selected from the group comprising: recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, viral vaccines and plasmid DNA.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a simulated moving bed system is employed.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the mobile phase is in plug flow.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a cartridge is employed comprising:
two or more membranes that include a said medium, that are arranged in series and that are interspersed with frits; and
a holding member to fix the membranes in place relative to one another.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the ratio of membranes:frits in the cartridge is in the range 5:1 to 1:1.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane has a thickness of 100 μm to 1 mm.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nanofibres have a diameter of 10 nm to 1000 nm, 200 nm to 800 nm or 300 nm to 400 nm.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mean length of the nanofibres is greater than 10 cm.
14. The medium according to claim 1 , wherein the pores have a diameter of 10 nm to 10 μm.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pores have a standard deviation in diameter of less than or equal to 250 nm.
16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nanofibres are DEAE nanofibres.