Smart Biotech Scientist | The CMC and Bioprocessing Podcast for Process Development and Manufacturing Leaders 191: Process Intensification Secrets: A Process Engineer's Decision Framework with Andreas Castan - Part 1
What if process intensification could transform your bioprocessing economics without the complexity most engineers fear? Getting 3x productivity gains and 30-150% titer increases once seemed reserved for Big Pharma's endless R&D budgets, but a strategic approach to technology selection is making these results achievable for companies of any size.
In this episode, David Brühlmann speaks with Andreas Castan, a bioprocess veteran with over 25 years of industry experience who provides leadership and support to Cytiva's bioprocess business. Andreas brings deep expertise from directing upstream development at Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and extensive work in expression systems, process development, scale-up, and cGMP manufacturing across multiple therapeutic modalities.
Why tune in? Here's your process engineer's roadmap:
- Process Intensification Economics Decoded: Andreas reveals the cost-benefit reality behind continuous vs fed-batch manufacturing, including real process economic modeling data showing why the differences aren't as dramatic as you'd expect and what factors actually drive your business case.
- Low-Hanging Fruit That Delivers: Skip the overhyped AI solutions. Andreas shares the strategic fundamentals that work: high-producing cell line development, N-1 perfusion for rapid productivity gains, and smart bioreactor turndown strategies that eliminate process steps without adding complexity.
- Decision Framework for Technology Selection: Learn when continuous processing makes economic sense (and when it doesn't), how media costs impact your COGS analysis, and why understanding your bottlenecks, not following industry trends, should drive your intensification strategy.
- Industry Insider Strategies: Get the inside track on what AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Merck, Lonza, and Takeda are actually implementing, plus Andreas's perspective on why human expertise and mechanistic insights still outweigh AI in real-world process decisions.
Ready to make smarter technology investments and achieve measurable productivity gains? This isn't theory. It's a practical guide to process intensification economics that you can apply whether you're preparing for Phase I or scaling for commercial manufacturing.
Connect with Andreas Castan:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-castan-91570b1
Cytiva landing page: Process intensification
Online tool: Process intensifier
Next step:
Book a 20-minute call to help you get started on any questions you may have about bioprocessing analytics: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call
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One bad CDMO decision can cost you two years and your Series A. If you're navigating tech transfer, CDMO selection, or IND prep, let's talk before it gets expensive. Two slots open this month.