The Bionic Bioreactor Company
BioThrust builds the world's first and only scalable bioreactor with high gas transfer, low shear force and no foaming
Introducing ComfyCell
A whole new approach to stirred-tank bioreactors for 3D cell therapy manufacturing.
Powered by our unique Membrane Stirrer technology
The BioThrust Membrane Stirrer aerates the cell culture bubble-free & minimizes shear forces with gentle mixing.
Broad Range
Of Applications
Cell Types
World record hiPSC density achieved! 44 million hiPSCs per mL in our 300mL bioreactor.
Fed Batch (ComfyCell Incu):
After 5 days, the ComfyCell Incu 300 mL with simple media change achieved >17-fold expansion and reached >2.5 million cells/mL, starting from 150.000 cells/mL.
Perfusion (ComfyCell Benchtop):
After 7 days, using BioThrust’s in situ perfusion, the ComfyCell Benchtop 300 mL reached 36.6 million cells/mL with ~63-fold expansion, starting from 500.000 cells/mL. After 8 days we reached an impressive 44 million hiPSCs per mL.
Quality & Pluripotency:
During all types of runs excellent viability is observed (>90% at harvest) and pluripotency is fully maintained (99% of cells expressing TRA-1-60, SSEA-4 and Oct3/4 at harvest).
Our next objective is to scale this superior cell density to 2L and 10L in 2026. Stay tuned for updates! Let's make iPSC-based cell therapy available to everyone by reducing COGS significantly!
Cell Types
Successful expansion of bm-MSCs and iMSCs in the ComfyCell. Achieved over 600k cells per mL at 2L!
Using RoosterBio's human bm-MSC cell line, medium and supplement we were able to confirm expansion with excellent average viability.
Under project RauPE, funded by the EU and Ministry of Industry of the state of NRW, our partners at the Fraunhofer IPT achieved over 600k iMSCs per mL in our 2L ComfyCell bioreactor. The process was semi-perfused and integrated into the "Autostem" automized platform.
Importantly, MSCs and other adherent cells do not grow directly on the Membrane Stirrer inside the ComfyCell bioreactor but on industry standard microcarriers or as aggregates.
Cell Types
Up to 9 million EVs per mL yielded from human bm-MSCs at 130k MSCs per mL!
The ComfyCell achieved an impressive EV density of up to 9E9 particles/mL (after filtration) from human bm-MSCs in our 300mL Single-Use Bioreactor depending on the purification method. If EVs were filtered, centrifuged and resuspended, we counted 6.4E9 particles per mL. This was 5 times more than from the 2D control and resulted in a batch of 1.9E12 EVs.
With THP-1 cells, the 300mL ComfyCell SUB achieved a VCD of 2.19Mn cells/mL (outperforming static culture by 50%) and a EV density of 4.41Bn particles/mL (outperforming static culture by 83%) - with results confirming stable production of similar EVs.
Cell Types
More than 258 million CHO cells per mL without foam!
Expansion:
Over 9 days, the ComfyCell (leveraging an ATF system) achieved an impressive cell density of 258E6 CHO cells per mL at 2L scale with a PCV of ~50%. No foam was observed at all and oxygen usage reduced considerably! Maximal cell densities without anti-foam and with less oxygen demand can significantly reduce overall process cost.
In a separate 10L fed-batch run compared to a thoroughly optimized conventionally sparged process, the Membrane Stirrer achieved the same top-notch cell density, but without the need to add any oxygen to the input gas or use anti-foam.
Protein production / mAb production:
In a 2L ATF perfusion process, reaching 258E6 CHO cells per mL, the ComfyCell achieved a 60g titer through the ATF membrane. This 30g/L protein product yield exceeded the STR control by 4x, which usually achieves 7g/L. The final product yield was diluted over 50L.
In a 10L fed-batch benchmark against an optimized conventional STR, the ComfyCell achieved +40% product conversion and didn't require any additional oxygen to be added to the process gas.
Cell Types
Over 93 million cells per mL in an ATF perfusion run
The ComfyCell achieved over 93E6 cells per mL during a 13-day process with HEK293 cells at 2L scale, maintaining >90% average cell viability. No foaming was observed since sparging is not required!
Stay tuned for this publication.
Cell Types
Confirmed compatability of ComfyCell bioreactor for viral vector production processes!
Stay tuned for further updates & publications or contact us if you want to collaborate! We are aiming to confirm that a foam free, high-density HEK process can achieve superior viral vector yield to reduce COGS for gene therapy manufacturing!
We have already completed several viral vector POCs in our system to ensure that the vectors don't interact with the Membrane Stirrer's membrane blades. This confirmed suitability includes retroviruses such as HIV & MLV (with membrane and capsid) and adenoviruses or adeno-associated viruses (both only with capsid).
Cell Types
Impressive >600-fold expansion of NK cells with G-Rex quality
primary NK:
Within the SaxoCell cluster, the Fraunhofer IZI used our ComfyCell 300mL to achieved 600-fold expansion of primary NKs, up to 3.6E6 cells per mL before splitting. Importantly, NK receptor and purity was maintained and our partners measured advanced cytotoxicity to G-Rex at 1:1 ration! The message is clear: The ComfyCell enables G-Rex NK quality and fold-expansion at STR volumes and with full process control due to online sensors for pH, DO, temperature and more.
iNK:
iNK cells were expanded by Catalent in our 300mL SUB and our 2L reusable system, proving the simplicity of upscaling with the ComfyCell. A superb >327-fold expansion of iNKs (>1000-fold from thaw) while maintaining excellent killing performance confirms the viability of the ComfyCell for commercial iNK production as we reached >3E9 cells in a batch.
NK-92:
Our partners at TU Vienna benchmarked the 2L ComfyCell against a classic STR and found that the Membrane Stirrers homogeneous shear distribution improves NK-92 cell cytotoxicity while avoiding foaming completely.
Cell Types
Achieved conventional STR cell density 2 days faster!
In a fed-batch POC with CD4+/CD8+ T-Cells isolated from a healthy donor, the ComfyCell achieved a 60-fold expansion in 5 days, yielding 7.2E6 cells/mL in our 300mL Single-Use Vessel. A conventional 250mL STR reached this density in 7 days - 2 days slower!
Stay tuned for further updates & publications or contact us to collaborate!
Cell Types
Up to 3mm large organoids cultivated over 35 days in 2L
Lung Organoids:
Compared to conventional runs, our Membrane Stirrer achieved the closest to in-vivo results for iPSC-derived lung organoids our academic partner ever measured, producing up to 3mm large organoids and 100% living cells inside the structure after a process period of 35 days. You can find the full paper, including single cell analysis, on our application studies page!
Cardiomyocytes:
Our partners at the University of Cologne successfully expanded preformed embyoid bodies in a bioreactor using our 2L Membrane Stirrer and achieved a final cardiomyocyte yield of more than 200 million after 7 days with excellent differentation! The process is now being improved and transferred to GMP.
Cell Types
More than +200 % increased process yield
Compared to a conventional stirred-tank system, our Membrane Stirrer doubled the achieved cell density and increased production volume by further 30% due to foam avoidance.
Cell Types
More than 3-fold increase of rhamnolipid production and 65% larger batch volume
The MemStir demonstrated a space-time yield (STY) of up to 118mgRL L-1h-1, ranking it high in industrial rhamnolipid (RL) production with both conventional and complex fermentation methods. All without any use of anti-foam due to no bubbles!
Cell Types
Successful culture of over 150.000 C. elegans worms in our ComfyCell Incu!
Our partner, InVivo Biosystems, frequently uses the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans as a useful model to discover new drugs for rare genetic diseases.
C. elegans worms are typically grown on solid media, but they have been searching for tools that can help them expand the throughput of their studies by improving growth conditions for the animals in liquid cultures.
InVivo Biosystems tested the BioThrust ComfyCell Incu bioreactor, expecting that better gas transfer and low shear forceswould reduce stress and improve growth in the C. elegans liquid cultures. In 3-day cultures of over 150,000 worms per culture, they found significant improvement over previous culture methods in age synchronization, development, animal health, and culture contamination. We’re excited about how the Incu will reduce costs and expand our drug screening capabilities in anon-traditional animal model!
Process Modalities
Suspension Cells
Leverage the homogeneous, gentle mixing and gas supply of our Membrane Stirrer for a physiological cultivation of your suspension cells (e.g., NK Cells).
Process Modalities
Adherent Cells
Grow your adherent cells (e.g., MSCs) on microcarriers that are gently kept in motion by the Membrane Stirrer.
Process Modalities
Spheroids
Manage the size and growth of your three dimensional cell aggregates and spheroids (e.g., iPSCs) with the precisely controllable shear force induced by the Membrane Stirrer.
Process Modalities
Differentiation Processes
Perform the whole process from cell expansion to differentiation in our ComfyCell Vessel. The currently in development in-situ perfusion system will enable a complete media exchange and the automatic supply of specific substances to trigger differentiation.
Process Modalities
ATF/TFF Perfusion
Leverage industry standard ATF and TFF perfusion systems for continuous supply of nutrients and media exchange through one of the PG13.5 ports. Ideal for ultra high cell density and maximizing yield.
Process Modalities
In-situ Perfusion
Leverage our proprietary in-situ perfusion system for continuous supply of nutrients and media exchange through a cell retention filter across the entire vessel bottom. Ideal for cost-efficient medium densities and maximizing product extraction.
Discover Our Application Studies
Our Advocates
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