Computer‐aided process analysis and economic evaluation for biosynthetic human insulin production—A case study

Abstract

Human insulin was the first mammalian protein produced in bacteria using recombinant DNA technology. Two technologies were developed; the first based on the separate expression of precursors of chains A and B of insulin, and the second based on the expression of a precursor of proinsulin as a Trp-E fusion protein. Both technologies utilized Escherichia coli as an expression system. Later, a third technology was developed based on a strain of yeast that can secrete a precursor of insulin. The second E. coli process, a variation of which has been commercialized by Eli Lilly and Co., is analyzed in this article from a process design and economic evaluation viewpoint. The objective of this work is to elucidate the technical complexity and high cost associated with the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals. Human insulin is a good example of a protein-based biopharmaceutical produced in large quantities (a fex tons per year) that requires large scale equipment and presents a multitude of scale-up challenges. Based onthe analysis, a number of conclusions are drawn regarding the cost breakdown and cost dependency on process parameters. Recommendations are made for cost reduction and environmental impact minimization. This analysis was performed using a software tool for computer-aided bioprocess design. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.