NIIMBL is pleased to announce “Inline Spiking Method for Validation of Virus Clearance in Continuous Bioprocessing” has been named the winner of NIIMBL’s inaugural Project Impact Award. The award is given annually as recognition of a Project Call Project exemplifying technical ingenuity, partnership and lasting industry impact. The award will be presented on June 25, 2026, at the NIIMBL National Meeting during the Closing Banquet and Award Ceremony.
Led by Principal Investigator Andrew Zydney of Penn State University, the project collaborators also included NIIMBL members MilliporeSigma, Genentech, and Merck. This partnership between academia and industry reflects the kind of teamwork and innovation NIIMBL strives to foster in strengthening domestic biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
“This project demonstrates how NIIMBL’s collaborative model identifies industry challenges and creates and demonstrates solutions that advance biopharmaceutical manufacturing,” said Kelvin Lee, Institute Director. “The selection committee recognized the foundational nature of this project, as well as its durability and industry adoption over time. This project is a blueprint for the kind of impact possible through NIIMBL’s Project Call work.”
About the Project
As industry moves toward continuous manufacturing, one challenge to implementation is the validation of virus clearance in connected and continuous systems. The methods used in batch processes aren’t appropriate due to the large amount of virus needed and potential virus instability.
The project addressed this challenge by developing a reliable small-scale system capable of accurately evaluating virus clearance. The team established the experimental and computational methods required to evaluate virus removal, along with preliminary cost estimates and a parts list, enabling end‑users to build and implement a transient inline spiking system within their own biomanufacturing processes. Ultimately, the work done by the team paves the way for broader commercial adoption of these technologies, providing opportunities for reducing production costs, increasing manufacturing flexibility, and enhancing product consistency.
Learn more about this project here. Also, visit our project search database to learn more about NIIMBL’s portfolio of nearly 200 projects that are driving biopharmaceutical manufacturing innovation.
National Meeting Virtual Registration Still Available
NIIMBL members: Virtual registration is still available for the 2026 National Meeting, taking place June 23-25. Register now to access plenary presentations, topic-focused sessions and panel discussions as well as the poster gallery in real time or on-demand.