The manufacture of pharmaceutical and biotech products is usually associated with high material consumption. For this reason, the Giessen-based start-up Green Elephant Biotech has developed recyclable cell culture vessels. These not only reduce the carbon footprint by up to 90% compared to conventional disposable items, but also improve the growth conditions of the cells. This solution is now being further developed in a strategic partnership with the family-owned company Bürkert Fluid Control Systems.

Single-Use vs. CellScrew

‘Traditional single-use cell culture vessels are significantly larger, are disposed of after the first use and are often incinerated for regulatory reasons - this generates a lot of CO₂,’ explains Felix Wollenhaupt, co-founder of Green Elephant Biotech. The new CellScrew cell culture system, on the other hand, requires less raw material and therefore reduces waste. It also consists of polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based plastic that is obtained from plants and is suitable for 3D printing. ‘This reduces the carbon footprint by around 90% compared to conventional systems,’ Wollenhaupt continues.

More cost-effective production of life-saving therapeutics

In addition to the significant CO₂ savings, CellScrew offers further advantages: Compared to conventional cell culture vessels, it provides a larger growth surface for cell cultures with the same volume. This should make manufacturing processes more efficient and flexible overall. ‘Together, we want to develop a process-reliable and more sustainable production platform for the pharmaceutical industry - especially for personalised medicine,’ says Green Elephant Biotech co-founder Joel Eichmann. This could help to produce life-saving therapeutics more cost-effectively.

Vision for the future: CellScrew as a fully-fledged bioreactor

The long-term goal of the new partnership is to further develop CellScrew into a fully-fledged bioreactor. Bürkert Fluid Control Systems will contribute essential technical components and its expertise. At the same time, Bürkert will gain access to current biopharmaceutical trends.

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