Combined approach of selective and accelerated cloning for microfluidic chip‐based system increases clone specific productivity

Abstract Improving current cell line development workflows can either focus on increasing the specific productivity of the cell lines or shortening timelines to reach the clinic as fast as possible. In this work, using the Beacon platform, we have combined two distinct protocols – early cloning with low‐viability pools, and IgG membrane staining‐, to concomitantly reach both objectives, and generate highly productive CHO clones in shorter timelines. Fast‐sorting approaches using low‐viability pools in combination with the Beacon platform have recently been reported to shorten CLD timelines. However, the low recovery led to a drastic reduction in the clone number obtained postcloning. Here, we report a combined approach of fast‐sorting and fluorescent membrane staining. With this new protocol, the cells reach a correct recovery, allowing to fully exploit the Beacon screening capacities. In addition, by using a fluorescent staining recognizing the secreted IgG, we were able to enrich the fraction of highly secreting cells prior to cloning and we obtained significant increases in the cell's specific productivity. The combination of these two protocols has a synergistic effect, and as they help discarding the dead and nonproducing populations prior to cloning, they increase the throughput power of the Beacon platform and the detection of super productive clones.