PBS-Mini
Benchtop Vertical-Wheel® vessels to prove feasibility and dial in your process at minimal cost and risk: a true scale-down model for everything above it.
Why PBS-Mini.
The PBS-Mini is the benchtop entry point to the Vertical-Wheel® platform. It lets you prove feasibility and dial in your process at minimal cost and risk, while mirroring the exact mixing physics your cells will experience at every larger scale.
A compact footprint that fits on any research bench.
Mirrors the mixing physics of every larger system.
Prove feasibility before scaling your investment.
At a Glance.
The Single-Use Vessel.
The PBS-Mini runs pre-sterilized, single-use Vertical-Wheel® vessels in 0.1L and 0.5L sizes, the same wheel geometry your cells will meet at every larger scale.
Pre-sterilized & single-use: no cleaning or re-validation between runs.
Consistent wheel geometry: the same mixing your cells meet at every scale.
Closed system: reduces contamination risk across your workflow.
Proven With PBS-Mini.
Cell types with published Vertical-Wheel® data at this scale. Select one to see the science.
Evidence for PBS-Mini.
PBS Biotech Starter Packs provide a streamlined way to begin process development on the Vertical-Wheel® platform. Available in Basic, Enhanced, and Premium configurations, the packages combine PBS-Mini bioreactor systems, single-use vessels, and tiered scientific support to match different development needs. Options include 0.1 L and 0.5 L working volumes, with Enhanced and Premium packages adding onsite support. The flyer summarizes package contents, pricing, and support options, helping teams quickly establish a scalable development pathway using PBS-Mini and the same Vertical-Wheel technology designed to support progression toward larger-scale manufacturing.
This study combines CFD simulations with hPSC suspension culture experiments to investigate scale-up in Vertical-Wheel® bioreactors. The authors compare conventional Eulerian metrics, including volume-averaged shear stress and energy dissipation rate (EDR), with Lagrangian analysis of aggregate trajectories. Aggregate size, agitation rate, and bioreactor scale were shown to influence hydrodynamic exposure, while EDR correlated more strongly with aggregation efficiency, aggregate size, and cell expansion than shear stress. The findings highlight the value of tracking aggregate exposure histories to guide more representative scale-up and agitation strategies for hPSC manufacturing in Vertical-Wheel bioreactors.
This white paper examines the cost and operational advantages of scaling cell therapy manufacturing with Vertical-Wheel® bioreactors compared with planar culture and stirred-tank systems. It evaluates expansion efficiency, labor, facility footprint, process consistency, contamination risk, and cell quality. Published studies in hiPSCs and MSCs are used to assess yield, handling requirements, reproducibility, viability, phenotype, potency, and scale-up performance. A side-by-side cost comparison, including a 3 L PBS Biotech system, illustrates how Vertical-Wheel bioreactors can support a more streamlined and scalable manufacturing approach while recognizing that actual costs depend on the specific process.
This poster evaluates the MiniPRO, a scaled-down, computer-controlled Vertical-Wheel® bioreactor platform, for expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Oxygen-controlled MiniPRO cultures were compared with non-controlled systems across conventional inoculation and direct-thaw workflows. Results showed consistent aggregate size distributions, preservation of pluripotency markers SOX2 and OCT4, and enhanced process control through dissolved oxygen regulation. Scale-up studies demonstrated comparable growth kinetics, metabolite profiles, and aggregate characteristics between MiniPRO and PBS-3L systems, supporting MiniPRO as a representative scale-down model for efficient process development and reduced scale-up risk in PSC manufacturing.
Everything Around the Vessel.
We Go With You.
Our application scientists help you get the most out of PBS-Mini, and plan the step that comes next.
Ready to Put PBS-Mini to Work?
Tell us your cell type and timeline. We’ll configure the right PBS-Mini setup for your process.