Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has introduced the 5L DynaDrive™ Single-Use Bioreactor (S.U.B.), designed to meet the evolving needs of modern bioprocessing. Expanding the company’s robust bioreactor portfolio, the 5L DynaDrive offers seamless scalability from 1 to 5,000 liters—supporting rapid bench-scale process development and cost-effective transition from bench to commercialization, all while maintaining consistent reactor design and film across all scales.

“The introduction of the 5L DynaDrive marks a significant advancement in our commitment to helping customers maximize productivity and accelerate time to market,” said Ray Mercier, president of Thermo Fisher’s single-use technologies business. “With 25 years of experience in single-use technology, we are dedicated to meeting our customers’ evolving needs. Our trusted innovations provide seamless scalability and enhanced efficiency, enabling customers to streamline their bioprocessing workflows and successfully develop and commercialize life-saving therapies.”

Built to support both large-scale biopharma and small biotech firms, as well as CDMOs, the compact 5L benchtop unit integrates easily with the HyPerforma™ G3Lab Controller. It delivers a 27% increase in productivity compared to traditional glass bioreactors—driven by shorter workflow durations and more experiments per year. For instance, in a lab setup running 100 reactors with 8 reactor experiments, glass systems complete 111 experiments annually over a 39-day cycle, whereas the single-use system enables 141 experiments with a shortened 31-day cycle.

Scalability and Consistency Process consistency across the full 1L to 5,000L range is achieved through uniform reactor design and performance benchmarks based on key cell culture metrics, including cell density, viability, and titer.

Environmental Considerations The unit utilizes Aegis™ 5-14 film, derived from biobased feedstock with net-negative carbon emissions. Meanwhile, BioTitan™ Retention Devices help reduce packaging waste and single-use failures during shipping, contributing to decreased inventory loss and improved sustainability.

Value to Emerging Biotech Firms Smaller biotech companies benefit significantly from the 5L DynaDrive's compact footprint and speed-to-market advantages. Its shorter experimental durations and streamlined scalability path make it an ideal fit for early-phase development and rapid transition into clinical testing.

Operational Integration The unit runs on the TruBio™ automation platform, aligning with existing Thermo Fisher bioreactor systems. This enables fully automated, real-time process control, ensuring users can maintain consistency across scales with minimal training or operational disruption.

Looking Ahead The 5L unit includes perfusion ports for intensified processing and PG13.5 ports for advanced sensors, supporting process analytical technology (PAT) strategies. Future enhancements are being explored to expand functionality and scalability across the DynaDrive line.