Functionalised chromatography medium comprising polymer nanofibres and process of preparation thereof

1. A functionalized chromatography medium, comprising

i) at least one non-woven sheet comprising one or more polymeric nanofibers, said nanofibers having a mean diameter of 10-1000 nm;

ii) one or more polymer chains grafted onto the one or more polymeric nanofibers, wherein the polymer chains are poly-glycerol chains comprising glycidol monomer residues or wherein the polymer chains comprise divinylsulfone monomer residues; and

iii) at least one ligand group bonded to the one or more polymer chains;

wherein the polymer chains are grown on the polymeric nanofibers.

2. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanofibers have a mean diameter of 200-800 nm, or 200-400 nm.

3. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the chromatography medium comprises a stack of a plurality of non-woven sheets.

4. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 3 , wherein the chromatography medium comprises fuse points of contact between the polymeric nanofibers of adjacent sheets.

5. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more polymer chains are neutral.

6. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more polymer chains are same or different.

7. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the polymer chains are branched.

8. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer chain is grafted onto the polymeric nanofibers via functional groups on the polymeric nanofibers, chosen from the group comprising of hydroxyl, amino and carboxyl groups.

9. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 8 , wherein the functional groups are hydroxyl groups.

10. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein 500-60,000 μmol/g of the polymer chain is grafted onto the one or more polymeric nanofibers.

11. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the chromatography medium is for use in anion exchange chromatography, and the at least one ligand group is negatively charged.

12. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the chromatography medium is for use in cation exchange chromatography, and the at least one ligand group is positively charged.

13. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the chromatography medium is for use in affinity capture chromatography, and the at least one ligand group comprises one or more moieties chosen from one or more proteins, peptides, antibodies or fragments thereof, dyes, histidine groups, or groups containing a metal cation.

14. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 13 , wherein the ligand group comprises one or more moieties chosen from Protein A, Protein G or Protein L.

15. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one ligand group comprises one or more moieties from Protein A.

16. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the chromatography medium is for use in hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and the at least one ligand group comprises one or more propyl, butyl, phenyl, or octyl groups.

17. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the chromatography medium is for use in a mixed mode chromatography, the at least one ligand group is hydrophobic and cationic or hydrophobic and anionic, and said ligand group comprises one or more 4-mercaptoethyl-pyridine, octylamine, N-benzyl methyl ethanolamine or N-benzoyl-homocysteine groups.

18. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 17 , wherein the chromatography medium is for use in Hydrophobic Charge Induction Chromatography (HCIC), and the at least one ligand group is chosen from 4-mercapto-ethyl-pyridine groups and/or octylamine groups.

19. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the density of ligand groups is 100-2,000 μmol/g functionalized chromatography medium.

20. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanofibers comprise a polymer chosen from the group consisting of polyamides, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, polysulfones, polycaprolactone, collagen, chitosan, polyethylene oxide, agarose, agarose acetate, cellulose, cellulose acetate, and combinations thereof.

21. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 19 , wherein the polymeric nanofibers comprise a polymer chosen from the group consisting of Polyethersulfone (PES), cellulose, cellulose acetate, and combinations thereof.

22. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanofibers may be formed from two or more different polymers.

23. The functionalized chromatography medium according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer chains are grown on the polymeric nanofibers.

24. A chromatography cartridge comprising the functionalized chromatography medium of claim 1 .

25. A process of separating one more target biomolecules, comprising the steps of:

a) providing the functionalised chromatography medium of claim 1 ;

b) contacting one or more biological molecules in a mobile phase with said functionalised chromatography medium; and

c) contacting said functionalised chromatography medium, comprising one or more biological molecules, with an elution buffer.

26. The process of claim 25 , further comprising the step of:

d) washing between steps b) and c) to remove any components which are not bound to said functionalised chromatography medium; or

e) regenerating the said functionalised chromatography by contacting said functionalised chromatography medium from which the one or more biological molecules have been eluted, with a buffer.