by Chromatography is an essential analytical technique used across various industries like pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and many others. However, performing chromatographic separations can be a tedious and time-consuming process which requires proper packing of column resins. Prepacked chromatography columns aim to address this challenge by providing a convenient ‘plug-and-play’ format for chromatographic applications.
Growth of Prepacked Columns
The Prepacked Chromatography Columns has witnessed considerable growth over the past decade driven by increasing demand from the biopharmaceutical industry.. This growth can be attributed to advantages offered by prepacked columns like reduced hands-on time, consistency in column packing and reproducible separations. Major players in the market have introduced a wide range of prepacked columns customized for specific applications.
Types of Prepacked Columns
Depending on the type of chromatography technique as well as separation requirements, prepacked columns are available in different formats:
– Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) Columns: Used to separate biomolecules based on hydrodynamic radius. SEC columns packed with resins like agarose, dextran or acrylamide are commonly used.
– Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC) Columns: Employ electrostatic interactions for separations. Cation and anion exchange prepacked columns with resins like SP Sepharose, Q Sepharose etc. are popular choices.
– Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) Columns: Facilitate separations driven by hydrophobic interactions. Butyl, phenyl and octyl prepacked columns are available.
– Affinity Chromatography Columns: Highly specific for target biomolecules using ligand-protein interactions. Protein A/G and immobilized metal affinity columns are widely used.
– Mixed-Mode Chromatography Columns: Leverage multiple separation mechanisms simultaneously using mixed functionality resin matrices.
– Custom Formats: Include packed bed and gravity-flow mini columns optimized for analytical or process-scale purifications.
Convenient Workflow with Prepacked Columns
Chromatographic separations using prepacked columns provide significant advantages over manual column packing:
Consistency: Resin packing is quality controlled during manufacturing, ensuring consistent performance across batches.
Reduced Hands-on Time: Columns arrive ready-to-use, eliminating the need for time-consuming packing steps.
Reproducibility: Well characterized chromatographic properties translate to reproducible separations run after run.
Scalability: Methods developed on analytical scale columns can be scaled up using process-scale prepacked columns packed with the same resin.
Safety: Eliminates risks of accidents and contamination during manual packing procedures.
Method Transfer: Methods and processes are easier to transfer between labs/facilities using prepacked columns vs. manually packed columns.
Variety of Applications
Owing to their versatility and seamless workflow, prepacked chromatography columns have found application across a variety of separation, purification and analytical techniques:
– Protein Purification: Isolating target proteins from complex biological samples remains a major application area.
– Antibody Production: SEC, HIC and MabSelect columns are used at various stages during mAb manufacturing.
– Vaccine and Biologics Purification: Leveraged for purifying therapeutic proteins, virus particles, cell lysates and more.
– Small Molecule Separations: Used for purification and analysis of pharmaceutical intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) etc.
– Natural Products Isolation: Facilitate isolation and identification of novel compounds from plants and other natural sources.
– Quality Testing: Help characterize impurities, assess product stability and perform release testing for pharmaceutical products.
Going forward, the Prepacked Chromatography Columns is anticipated to grow with the expanding biopharmaceutical industry. Advancements in column hardware, chromatography media and column formats will further enhance their performance and broaden applications. Rapid and scalable purifications enabled by prepacked columns are crucial for timely development and commercialization of novel biologics and drugs. Their seamless workflow and reproducibility will continue driving preference over manual packing in industry and research labs worldwide.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
