Abstract

An Automation Platform for the Discovery of Biomolecules

Michael Strerath, Dr, Bayer Healthcare

During the past 10+ years the application of biomolecules as pharmaceuticals have changed from niche products towards major blockbusters. In parallel, the methods to identify, process and produce biologic drug candidates required further development, from largely manual process steps, towards robust screening and production processes. This presentation will provide an overview of the automation platform which has been established at Bayer Healthcare to facilitate this challenge. Several selected challenges and solutions will be highlighted for distinct process steps along the value chain from early drug discovery to development. Examples describing the automated processes in high throughput screening, transient transfections, sample logistics and cell line development are included and will provide insights into hardware solutions as well as data handling workflows.