Univercells Technologies by Donaldson, a global provider of bioprocessing technologies, has launched the scale-X nexo bioreactor, a miniaturized, fixed-bed bioreactor offering a 0.5 m² growth surface, designed for efficient cell culture process development across multiple modalities. Engineered for seamless scalability, the scale-X nexo bioreactor is designed to reduce process development timelines, helping to drive down costs for researchers and biopharma companies.
 
As the smallest member of the scale-X portfolio, the scale-X nexo bioreactor is designed to ensure consistent cell distribution and high cell density for efficient, scalable biomanufacturing. According to the company, its direct scalability to the scale-X carbo (10-30 m²) and nitro bioreactor (200-600 m²) makes it a powerful tool for companies aiming to move swiftly from lab to commercial production while minimizing costs.
 
“Cost efficiency and direct scalability are crucial for research institutions and biopharma companies in early-stage development aiming at reducing risks and accelerating time to market. The scale-X nexo bioreactor allows researchers to efficiently optimize cell density and process conditions, paving the way for optimal performance from the start,” said Marie Jourdan, Director of the Bioprocess Product Portfolio at Donaldson.
 
The scale-X nexo bioreactor is designed to significantly reduce media and reagent consumption with its low-volume, low-surface-area approach. This helps minimize resource needs as well as reduce seed train efforts for a streamlined bioprocess offering up to a 60% reduction in cost per run compared to other entry-level fixed-bed bioreactors, according to the company. 
 
Its ready-to-use manifolds are designed to enable rapid setup and precise screening for a variety of process conditions and applications such as cell and gene therapies, and vaccines, among others. It also integrates with the Skaia vision application software, an approach that estimates cell numbers inside the scale-X bioreactor without the need for direct cell sampling, helping with productivity and operational efficiency.