Considerations for Microbial Fermentation: Single Use vs. Stainless Steel Fermenters

For decades, microbial fermentation has been used for the commercialization of biologics, with the fermentation of recombinant proteins such as insulin in stainless steel bioreactors as large as 100,000 L. A long-standing favorite within the industry, these stainless-steel fermenters boast a long history in biopharma manufacturing — though are not without their limitations.

Recent innovations in single-use fermenters, which offer an agile and cost-effective solution with reduced cleaning and validation requirements, have led single-use fermenters to gain ground quickly — but knowing when to use stainless steel versus single-use fermenters, or even a hybrid approach, can be challenging.