Toward industrial microalgae-based monoclonal antibody production

Over the past two decades, Chinese hamster ovary cells have dominated monoclonal antibody (mAb) production. Although this mammalian cell system carries high operational and capital costs, it aligns well with regulatory requirements for producing high-value, modest-scale therapeutics. However, microalgal systems offer the benefits of light-driven growth, low-cost media, and the potential for significant and efficient scalability, providing a promising route for producing lower-cost mAbs. Reducted production costs and increased scale open novel market opportunities well beyond the therapeutic space. Here, we investigate the history of mAb production in microalgae, the recent molecular and bioprocessing advances that are likely to contribute to their industrial production, and the novel applications that could arise given access to lower-cost mAbs.