Use Cases

Bioprocess scale-up predictionfor every expression system

From CHO-based monoclonal antibodies to microbial precision fermentation, Augur predicts production-scale economics from minimal lab data. Each organism gets tailored kinetics, DSP templates, and cost modeling.

Monoclonal Antibodies

CHO Cell Culture & mAb Production

Predict production-scale mAb titer, COGS/kg, and DSP yield from bench-scale CHO cell culture runs.

The Challenge

Monoclonal antibody production is dominated by CHO cell culture, where scale-up from 2L to 2,000L+ bioreactors introduces unpredictable changes in dissolved oxygen, mixing, and cellular stress. Most teams discover their true production COGS only after committing to expensive manufacturing campaigns.

How Augur Helps

Augur's physics-informed neural networks predict CHO cell culture performance at production scale from as few as 5 bench-scale runs. The platform models kLa degradation, mixing time increase, and CO2 accumulation at scale — and couples these hydrodynamic changes with CHO-specific kinetics including product inhibition (Kp=8.0 g/L).

1-10 g/L
Typical titer range
65-75%
DSP yield (4-step)
$50-500/g
COGS/kg range
1,000-10,000×
Scale-up ratio

DSP Pipeline

1Centrifugation (cell harvest)
2Protein A chromatography (capture)
3Ion exchange chromatography (polishing)
4Ultrafiltration/Diafiltration (formulation)
Microbial Expression

E. coli Protein Production

Model inclusion body formation, overflow metabolism, and refolding economics for recombinant protein production in E. coli.

The Challenge

E. coli fermentation at scale is fast and high-yielding but introduces challenges: acetate overflow metabolism above critical glucose uptake rates, inclusion body formation requiring expensive refolding steps, and heat generation that strains cooling systems. The DSP for inclusion body processing (solubilization, refolding, chromatography) often accounts for 70-80% of total COGS.

How Augur Helps

Augur models E. coli overflow metabolism (Crabtree effect) with acetate accumulation as a 6th ODE state variable. The platform predicts the critical glucose uptake rate (q_s_crit = 1.0 g/g/h) and models metabolite re-assimilation during diauxic shift. The integrated DSP pipeline includes extraction, precipitation, and refolding economics specific to inclusion body workflows.

5-30 g/L
Typical titer range
20-30 min
Doubling time
1.0 g/g/h
Critical q_s
70-80%
DSP cost share

DSP Pipeline

1Centrifugation (cell harvest)
2Cell lysis & extraction
3Precipitation or filtration
4Chromatography (IEX/HIC)
Precision Fermentation

Yeast & Pichia Expression Systems

Optimize secreted protein production in S. cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris with integrated ethanol overflow and DSP economics.

The Challenge

Precision fermentation using yeast expression systems is central to the bioeconomy — from food proteins to industrial enzymes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces ethanol via the Crabtree effect at high glucose concentrations, reducing biomass yield and product formation. Pichia pastoris avoids Crabtree but requires methanol induction, adding complexity. Both require organism-specific DSP templates and economics modeling.

How Augur Helps

Augur models ethanol overflow metabolism for S. cerevisiae (q_s_crit = 0.8 g/g/h, Y_overflow = 0.46 g/g) with metabolite tracking as a 6th ODE variable. For Pichia pastoris, the platform models AOX1-driven expression kinetics with temperature-dependent Arrhenius modeling (Ea = 55 kJ/mol, T_opt = 30°C). Both organisms include pre-configured DSP templates for secreted protein purification.

1-15 g/L
S. cerevisiae titer
5-30 g/L
Pichia titer
0.8 g/g/h q_s
Ethanol threshold
Both
Organisms supported

DSP Pipeline

1Centrifugation (cell removal)
2Ultrafiltration (concentration)
3Chromatography (capture + polishing)
4Diafiltration (buffer exchange)
Biosurfactants & Glycolipids

Rhamnolipid, Sophorolipid & MEL Production

Predict production-scale economics for glycolipid biosurfactants — rhamnolipids in P. putida, sophorolipids in Starmerella bombicola, and mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL) in Moesziomyces aphidis. The only platform with foam fractionation DSP modeling + per-product-class economics.

The Challenge

Biosurfactants must compete on cost with petrochemical surfactants at $1–5/kg. Scale-up from lab to production (20,000–50,000L) changes everything: foaming becomes unmanageable, oxygen transfer degrades, and DSP costs can dominate total COGS. Most teams discover their true production economics only after committing capital. Traditional solvent extraction (ethyl acetate, ethanol) is expensive and unsustainable at scale. Meanwhile, foam fractionation — using the surfactant’s own surface activity for separation — is promising but poorly modeled. No existing simulation tool understands biosurfactant-specific DSP economics across all three product classes.

How Augur Helps

Augur supports all three major glycolipid classes with organism-specific kinetics and DSP templates: P. putida rhamnolipids (foam fractionation), S. bombicola sophorolipids (gravity phase separation, Holiferm-style), and M. aphidis MEL (solvent extraction with 95% solvent recovery built into the cost model). For sophorolipids, Augur models the gravity phase separation that makes DSP as low as 1% of total cost. For MEL, it accounts for industrial solvent recycling that cuts DSP cost 4× vs naïve single-pass estimates. Compare DSP strategies side by side — foam fractionation vs solvent extraction, or gravity separation vs crystallization — and see break-even pricing in the same view. For novel strains (engineered producers, wild-type isolates), the Custom organism flow lets you provide your own kinetics or let the model learn them from 5+ lab runs.

<$5/kg SL, $25/kg MEL
Target COGS
P. putida, S. bombicola, M. aphidis + Custom
Organisms
9 (3+ per product class)
DSP templates
Integrated
Break-even

DSP Pipeline

1Centrifugation (cell removal)
2Foam fractionation, gravity separation, or solvent extraction (by product)
3Crystallization / acid precipitation / evaporation
Industrial Biotechnology

Small Molecules & Organic Acids

Scale-up prediction for P. putida and other microbial chassis producing organic acids, bioplastic precursors, and specialty chemicals.

The Challenge

Industrial biotechnology products compete on razor-thin margins against established petrochemical processes. Accurate COGS prediction at production scale is essential before committing capital, but scale-up data for novel chassis organisms like P. putida is scarce. Feedstock economics (glucose vs waste streams vs acetate) can make or break profitability, yet most simulation tools can’t model alternative carbon sources.

How Augur Helps

Augur provides P. putida kinetic profiles with organism-specific parameters and DSP templates optimized for small molecule recovery (extraction, crystallization, evaporation). The platform predicts production-scale COGS/kg with Monte Carlo confidence intervals, enabling go/no-go decisions based on economics rather than intuition. Scenario comparison lets you evaluate different feedstocks, scales, and DSP trains side by side.

<$5/kg
Target COGS
>50,000L
Scale requirement
Small molecule
DSP template
Integrated
Break-even

DSP Pipeline

1Centrifugation (cell removal)
2Liquid-liquid extraction
3Crystallization
4Evaporation (concentration)

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