Next-gen Virus-removal Filter Improves Manufacturing ProductivityNext-gen Virus-removal Filter Improves Manufacturing Productivity
The addition to Asahi Kasei Medical’s Planova line supports accelerated filtration speed.
October 23, 2024

Asahi Kasei Medical has introduced a next-generation virus-removal filter for biotherapeutic manufacturing processes in its Planova product line. The new Planova FG1 is expected to further contribute to improved productivity as demand for monoclonal antibodies and other biopharmaceuticals steadily grows by 5 to 10% per year, said the company.
Serving a growing market
Virus-removal filters and equipment used in the manufacturing process of biotherapeutic products such as biopharmaceuticals and plasma derivatives, biosafety testing services, and biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing operations is one of the Asahi Kasei Group’s businesses driving future growth.
On the market since 1989, Planova had its product lineup expanded in 2009 with the launch of Planova BioEX hydrophilic PVDF hollow-fiber membrane filters, and in 2022 with the launch of Planova S20N cellulose hollow-fiber membrane filters.
Enhanced filtration speed and robustness
The new Planova FG1 maximizes productivity in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing process by accelerating filtration speed and enhancing robustness in virus-removal capability, said Asahi Kasei Medical. Its high flux is approximately seven times greater than Planova BioEX, and the risk of virus breakthrough has been reduced when the filtration process is suspended.
Customer evaluation in the development stage of Planova FG1 confirmed high protein filtration and virus removal performance under various conditions using several solutions, even without a pre-filter to remove aggregates, said Asahi Kasei Medical.
Planova FG1 is compatible with standard clean-in-place (CIP) and sterilization-in-place (SIP) processes, allowing it to be used with many types of existing equipment for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Large-surface filtration in pipeline
Following this month’s start of mass production and shipment of smaller filters in the Planova FG1 line, Asahi Kasei Medical said it will extend the product lineup with filters having larger surface areas to support customers in efficiently scaling up their processes.
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