Choosing the Right Filter for Sterile Filtration

Visit our Final Sterile Filtration and Filling page for more information on Durapore 0.22 µm filters for critical filtration operations.

Sterilizing Filters for Non-Plugging Streams

For sterile filtration of non-plugging process streams we recommend Millipore Express^® SHF (Sterile, High Flux) filters or Millipore Express^® PHF (Process protection, High Flux) filters. These capsule and cartridge filters contain a 0.2 µm polyethersulfone (PES) sterilizing membrane, that provides high permeability, easy wetting and integrity testing and broad chemical compatibility.

• Millipore Express^® SHF filters should be used for critical process steps that require validated sterility assurance.
• Millipore Express^® PHF filters are a cost-effective filtration option for less critical steps, including buffer filtration.

Sterilizing Filters for Plugging Streams

For sterile filtration of plugging process streams we recommend Millipore Express^® SHC (Sterile, High Capacity) filters. These capsule and cartridge filters deliver extremely high filtration capacity as the integrated 0.5 µm PES membrane prefilter protects the 0.2 µm PES sterilizing membrane, maximizing filter capacity and improving filtration robustness.

• Millipore Express^® SHC filters provide high permeability, are easy to wet and integrity test and offer broad chemical compatibility.
• High area capsule and cartridge formats maximize filtration efficiency without increasing footprint.

Millipore Express^® SHC filters, are 100% integrity tested during manufacturing and can be used for critical process steps that require validated sterility assurance.

Sterilizing Filters for Non-Plugging & Plugging Streams

Millipore Express^® Ace 0.2 µm filters are recommended for efficient sterile filtration of both plugging and non-plugging streams. These filters contain a single layer membrane with optimized pore asymmetry that enables more membrane area within a standard filter format, leading to exceptional filter capacity and flux. With enhanced surface chemistry designed to minimize protein binding, Millipore Express^® Ace 0.2 µm filters offer a more sustainable alternative to Durapore^® 0.22 µm polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for final filtration applications:

• Exceptional filter capacity and flux with novel low protein binding surface chemistry for a wide range of sterile filtration applications.
• Available in OptiScale^® 25, Opticap® XL 150, XL 300 and XL 600 formats.

Millipore Express^® Ace 0.2 µm filters are 100% integrity tested during manufacturing.

Explore details of Millipore Express^® Membrane Filters in this Technical Article.

Formats From Bench to Production Scales

All our sterilizing filters offer:

• OptiScale^® formats for efficient screening and scaling, and cartridge and capsule formats that can be easily scaled for manufacturing.
  
• Autoclavable, presterilized or gamma-compatible formats, that can be integrated into Mobius^® single-use assemblies.

Approximate filtration areas of capsule and cartridge filters. Refer to product specifications for complete information and accurate filtration areas for each product line. Read our technical article for additional information on different filter formats.

Quality Standards and Documentation

All Millipore Express^® filters are designed, developed, and manufactured in accordance with a Quality Management System approved by an accredited registering body to an ISO 9001 Quality Systems Standard, and are supported by a certificate of quality.

Millipore Express^® Ace 0.22 µm, Millipore Express^® SHC, and Millipore Express^® SHF filters are supported by the Emprove^® Program which provides three types of dossiers to support different stages of development and manufacturing operations such as qualification, risk assessment, and process optimization. The dossiers consolidate comprehensive product-specific testing data, quality statements, and regulatory information in a readily available format so you can move forward with confidence.