November 14, 2023
The selection of the right bioprocess tubing solutions plays a pivotal role in maintaining product quality and process efficiency in pharmaceutical fluid management. Whether it is for transferring pharmaceutical liquids, conducting biopharmaceutical experiments, or other critical applications, the choice of biopharma tubing, and single-use assemblies, is far from trivial in biopharmaceutical fluid management.
Therefore, in this blog post, we will take a closer look at different considerations on bioprocess tubing solutions for pharmaceutical liquids. It's important to note that this is a general article providing an initial glimpse into the world of pharmaceutical tubing solutions. We will explore their exciting fields of application and compare multi-use and single-use tubing systems, illustrating why Single Use Support believes that single-use solutions pave the way of success.
Bioprocess tubing solutions in the life sciences and biopharma sector encompass a wide range of applications, each with its own set of unique challenges and requirements. In the following sections, we will illustrate them in more detail.
Single Use Support provides biopharma companies with a great variety of customizable single-use assemblies based on silicone tubing – ready to be implemented into your fluid transfer management.
Liquid tubings are ubiquitous in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, but also in research and diagnostics. Here are 7 prominent examples of biopharmaceutical applications of liquid tubings:
The biopharmaceutical industry operates within a highly regulated environment, with little tolerance for deviations, and biopharma tubing solutions must conform to a myriad of standards and guidelines. Some prominent aspects in regulatory compliance include:
When handling pharmaceutical liquids, the choice between multi-use and single-use tubing solutions holds the key to optimizing processes. Thus, the upcoming chapters will elucidate the critical aspects of these tubing options. We aim to provide you with the knowledge and insights necessary to determine the ideal tubing solution for your unique requirements.
Material selection in pharmaceutical tubing kits is significantly influenced by whether it is intended for multi-use or single-use applications. For multi-use systems, stainless steel and glass are preferred due to their durability and sterilizability. Stainless steel's corrosion resistance makes it ideal for long-term use, while glass's inert properties prevent interactions with pharmaceutical liquids.
Frequently used materials for multi-use tubings include:
In contrast, single-use tubing kits typically rely on flexible, disposable materials with low permeability, such as silicone and TPE (thermoplastic elastomers). These materials are usually weldable, sealable and can withstand high pressure for optimized pump life, while they offer the necessary flexibility and biocompatibility while minimizing cross-contamination risks, eliminating the need for extensive cleaning and sterilization.
Materials for single-use tubings may be:
Flexibility is a defining characteristic that distinguishes single-use and multi-use tubings in the field of bioprocess applications, and this difference significantly influences their applicability for various purposes.
Multi-use tubings prioritize durability over extreme flexibility. They are designed to withstand repeated sterilization and cleaning cycles, which makes them a frequent choice for long-term applications. Materials like stainless steel or glass are often employed for their resilience in these situations. Multi-use tubings perform reliably in demanding environments, where extreme flexibility may not be the primary concern.
Single-use tubings, in contrast, are celebrated for their exceptional flexibility, making them highly versatile for a wide range of pharmaceutical applications. Their key advantages lie in their adaptability, as they readily conform to the unique requirements of each application, whether it involves bioreactor setups, chromatography columns, or aseptic filling processes. Furthermore, their flexibility minimizes residual volume, ensuring efficient pharmaceutical liquid transfer and reducing wastage – an especially important consideration when dealing with costly or limited-volume formulations or reagents. Additionally, the moldability of single-use tubings simplifies their installation, leading to time and labor cost savings during the setup of pharmaceutical processes.
The practice of cleaning and sterilizing tubing sets is not only essential for maintaining the integrity of pharmaceutical processes, but a considerable point of concern regarding sustainability. When comparing single-use and multi-use tubings, their impact on sustainability becomes a pivotal factor to consider.
Single-use tubings, due to their disposable nature, inherently offer certain sustainability advantages:1
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Multi-use tubings, on the other hand, require thorough cleaning and sterilization, which can pose sustainability challenges:
Either customize your single-use assemblies or choose from a selection of pre-configured options to streamline your fluid management processes.
Single-use manifolds are essential in pharmaceutical fluid management. They consist of various components for the fluid paths, such as tubing products, connectors, valves, filters, pressure sensors, single-use beta bags and more. These components ensure the efficient and precise flow control of pharmaceutical fluids.
In addition to manifolds, several other non-sterile and sterile consumables are vital in pharmaceutical fluid management. These include sterile filters, caps, closures, tubing seals, clamps, stoppers, sampling bags, tubing welders, sealers, mixing systems, adapters, gaskets, flasks, pipettes, sterile adhesives and tapes. These consumables each play specific roles in maintaining the purity and sterility of pharmaceutical fluids, and are crucial for the safety and efficiency of pharmaceutical processes.
Due to their numerous advantages for biotech companies in terms of flexibility, safety, sustainability and ease of use, Single Use Support has developed single-use consumables that accompany the single-use based fluid management systems.
At Single Use Support, we develop and customize fluid path solutions for our clients. As an independent service provider, we assemble everything according to the specific requirements of our customers. An integral component of those consumables are high-quality single-use bioprocess tubings, improving process efficiency while minimizing the risk of contamination.
These disposable tubings are accompanied by a wide array of additional single-use consumables, from connectors, filters and distributors all the way down to disposable bioprocess containers.
Biopharmaceutical tubing kits are composed of various components, including:
Biopharma tubing refers to consumables that are used in the fluid management of pharmaceutical liquids. These tubings are often designed for one single use and form a sterile connection for different manufacturing and supply chain processes.
Bioprocess tubings are made of sterilizable materials that can withstand the chemical and physical stress involved in biopharmaceutical fluid management.
Typical materials for multi-use bioprocess tubings are stainless steel and glass, while single-use tubings often come in silicone or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE).
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