Scheduled Feed

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally provide for the scheduled feeding of cells in a cell expansion system. A schedule to proactively and automatically increase and/or maintain inlet rates of media to feed cells may be created, in which inlet rates to the intracapillary portion (or extracapillary portion) of a bioreactor may be increased or maintained according to the schedule. Such schedule may be conservative or aggressive or a combination thereof, for example. Multiple schedules may be used. Scheduled media exchanges may also be included. By following a feed schedule, the monitoring of metabolite levels may be optional. Inlet rates may be increased or maintained without manual manipulation. Media usage may also be more predictable. In an embodiment, a custom task(s) may be created to follow a desired feed schedule. In another embodiment, a pre-programmed task(s) may be used for the scheduled feeding of cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of feeding cells in a cell expansion system according to a schedule, the method comprising:
 coating a bioreactor;   loading cells into the bioreactor; and   feeding the cells according to the schedule.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feeding the cells according to the schedule comprises increasing a first inlet rate into a portion of the cell expansion system according to the schedule. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the cell expansion system comprises an intracapillary (IC) portion of the cell expansion system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the cell expansion system comprises an extracapillary (EC) portion of the cell expansion system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the intracapillary (IC) portion of the cell expansion system comprises an intracapillary (IC) circulation loop. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the extracapillary (EC) portion of the cell expansion system comprises an extracapillary (EC) circulation loop. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell expansion system comprises a closed system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feeding the cells according to the schedule comprises:
 selecting a pre-programmed task for the feeding of the cells according to the schedule; and   initiating the schedule for feeding the cells.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feeding the cells according to the schedule comprises:
 feeding the cells at a first inlet rate during a first time period;   feeding the cells at a second inlet rate during a second time period, wherein the feeding the cells at a second inlet rate comprises:
 increasing the first inlet rate by a first percentage of the first inlet rate; and 
   feeding the cells at a third inlet rate during a third time period, wherein the feeding the cells at a third inlet rate comprises:
 increasing the second inlet rate by a second percentage of the second inlet rate. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first percentage and the second percentage are the same. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first percentage and the second percentage are each equal to or greater than about 100%. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feeding the cells according to the schedule comprises:
 creating a custom task for the feeding of the cells according to the schedule; and   initiating the custom task for the feeding the cells according to the schedule.   
     
     
         13 . A cell expansion system, the system comprising:
 a bioreactor, wherein the bioreactor comprises a hollow fiber membrane;   a first fluid flow path having at least opposing ends, wherein the first fluid flow path is fluidly associated with an intracapillary portion of the hollow fiber membrane;   a processor;   a display device, in communication with the processor, operable to display data;   a memory, in communication with and readable by the processor, and containing a series of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a selection to create a custom task for feeding cells according to a schedule. 
   
     
     
         14 . The cell expansion system of  claim 13 , wherein the feeding the cells according to the schedule comprises:
 increasing a first inlet rate into the intracapillary portion of the hollow fiber membrane.   
     
     
         15 . The cell expansion system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receive a selection of the custom task for feeding the cells according to the schedule; and   initiate the custom task for feeding the cells according to the schedule.   
     
     
         16 . The cell expansion system of  claim 13 , wherein the feeding the cells according to the schedule comprises:
 feeding the cells at a first inlet rate during a first time period;   feeding the cells at a second inlet rate during a second time period, wherein the feeding the cells at a second inlet rate comprises:
 increasing the first inlet rate by a first percentage of the first inlet rate; and 
   feeding the cells at a third inlet rate during a third time period, wherein the feeding the cells at a third inlet rate comprises:
 increasing the second inlet rate by a second percentage of the second inlet rate. 
   
     
     
         17 . The cell expansion system of  claim 16 , wherein the first percentage and the second percentage are the same. 
     
     
         18 . The cell expansion system of  claim 17 , wherein the first percentage and the second percentage are each equal to or greater than about 100%. 
     
     
         19 . The cell expansion system of  claim 16 , wherein the first time period, the second time period, and the third time period each comprise about twenty-four hours. 
     
     
         20 . The cell expansion system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receive a selection to create a custom task for a scheduled media exchange.   
     
     
         21 . A cell expansion system, the system comprising:
 a bioreactor, wherein the bioreactor comprises a hollow fiber membrane, and wherein the hollow fiber membrane comprises an intracapillary portion;   a processor;   a display device, in communication with the processor, operable to display data;   a memory, in communication with and readable by the processor, and containing a series of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a selection to load cells into the bioreactor; and 
 receive a selection to follow a first schedule for feeding the cells. 
   
     
     
         22 . The cell expansion system of  claim 21 , wherein the first schedule provides for automatically increasing an inlet rate into the intracapillary portion of the hollow fiber membrane for at least a first interval of time. 
     
     
         23 . The cell expansion system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receive a selection to follow a second schedule for a media exchange.