IMPROVEMENTS IN AEROBIC BIOREACTOR CELL CAPACITY THROUGH FACILITATED OXYGEN TRANSPORT AGENTS

BIOREACTOR PROCESSES PRODUCE IMPORTANT PHARMACEUTICALS BUT ARE OFTEN LIMITED FOR COMMERCIAL SCALE-UP BY THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN THE GROWTH MEDIA. ADDITION OF AN OXYGEN-BINDING AGENT TO SOLUTION WILL IMPROVE OXYGEN FLUX RATES AND HENCE INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND/OR NUMBER OF CELLS PER REACTOR VOLUME. SINCE 1985, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS CONTRACTED WITH AQUANAUTICS CORPORATION TO DEVELOP AN ARTIFICIAL GILL TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROGRAM DESIGNS AND SYNTHESIZES OXYGEN-BINDING COMPOUNDS WHICH ARE USED IN MANY APPLICATIONS. FOR PHASE I, AQUANAUTICS PROPOSES TO EXPLOIT THESE COMPOUNDS AS AGENTS TO FACILITATE OXYGEN FLUX TO MAMMALIAN HYBRIDOMA CELLS AND IN GROWTH MEDIA. RESEARCH WOULD DEMONSTRATE VIABILITY OF THE AGENTS IN SOLUTION AND THE LEVEL OF ENHANCED CELL DENSITY ON THE EFFECT ON AEROBIC METABOLISM AND PRODUCTIVITY. AQUANAUTICS HAS DEMONSTRATED DRAMATIC TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTSWITH A TEAM OF 10 PROFESSIONALS, OF WHOM 5 HOLD PH.D. DEGREES. NSF CAN DEVELOP THIS TECHNOLOGY WITH ONLY AN INCREMENTAL INVESTMENT BECAUSE AQUANAUTICS HAS INVESTED MORE THAN *10 MILLION IN THIS TECHNOLOGY. THE COMPANY HAS SBIR EXPERIENCE AND THE FACILITIES TO CONDUCT THE SCOPE OF WORK.