Prediction tool for loading, isocratic elution, gradient elution and scaling up of ion exchange chromatography of proteins.

An efficient mathematical tool for the design and scaling up of protein chromatography is suggested, in which the model parameters can be determined quickly over a wide operating space without large material investments. The design method is based on mathematical modelling of column dynamics and moment analysis. The accuracy of the dynamic models that are most frequently used for simulations of chromatographic processes is analyzed, and possible errors that can be generated using the moment analysis are indicated. The so-called transport dispersive model was eventually employed for the process simulations. The model was modified to account for the protein dispersion in void volumes of chromatographic systems. The manner of the model calibration was suggested, which was based on a few chromatographic runs and verified over a wide space of the operating parameters, including composition and flow rate of the mobile phase, column dimensions, residence time, and mass loading. The model system for the study was ion-exchange chromatography. The analysis was performed based on the elution profiles of basic fibroblast growth factor 2 and lysozyme, on two different IEX media.