Dry powder cells and cell culture reagents and methods of production thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to nutritive medium, medium supplement, media subgroup and buffer formulations. Specifically, powdered nutritive medium, supplement, subgroup formulations, cell culture media comprising all of the necessary nutritive factors for in vitro cell cultivation, buffer formulations that produce particular ionic and pH conditions upon reconstitution with a solvent are provided. Particularly, methods of production of these media, supplement, subgroup, buffer formulations and kits, and methods for the cultivation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells using these dry powdered nutritive media, supplement, subgroup and buffer formulations are provided. Methods of producing sterile, powdered media or supplement (e.g., powdered FBS, powdered transferrin, powdered insulin, powdered organ extracts, powdered growth factors), media subgroup and buffer formulations by gamma irradiation are provided. Methods for producing dry cell powders, comprising spray-drying a cell suspension, and cells, media, media supplement, media subgroup and buffer powders produced by these methods are provided.

1 - 91 . (canceled) 
     
     
         92 . A method for reconstituting an agglomerated medium or supplement powder prepared using fluid bed technology, the method comprising combining the agglomerated medium or supplement powder with a solvent under conditions suitable for reconstituting the agglomerated medium or supplement powder. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein fluid bed technology steps comprise:
 (a) placing a dry medium or dry supplement powder into a fluid bed apparatus;   (b) subjecting said dry medium or dry supplement powder to suspension in an upwardly moving column of a gas;   (c) injecting a controlled and defined amount of a liquid into the dry medium or dry supplement powder to produce a moistened state; and   (d) drying the product of step (c) to produce the agglomerated medium or supplement powder.   
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the agglomerated medium or supplement powder is for eukaryotic cell growth. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 94 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is grown in suspension. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is capable of expressing a recombinant protein. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is capable of expressing a virus. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the final volume of the agglomerated medium or supplement powder exceeds 10 liters. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the final volume of the agglomerated medium exceeds 100,000 liters. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the liquid of step (c) is injected using a spray nozzle on the fluid bed apparatus. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 92 , further comprising passing the agglomerated medium or supplement powder through one or more particle filters. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 93  or  100 , wherein the liquid comprises trace elements. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the injecting of the liquid into the dry medium or dry supplement powder alternates with the drying step. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the mean dissolution time for agglomerated medium or supplement powder is from about 2 min to about 10 min. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the mean time for dissolution of the agglomerated medium or supplement powder in water is about 2 min. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the dissolution of the agglomerated medium or agglomerated supplement powder is in the absence of powder balls.