Events - YMC ChromaCon

Continuous Chromatography Workshop 2027 for mAbs, Peptides and Oligonucleotides

From 7-9 September 2027, the Institute for Pharma Technology at FHNW hosts a 3-day seminar at the Muttenz (Basel) campus in Switzerland. Combining lectures, case studies and hands-on twin-column training, participants gain practical skills in continuous chromatography for mAbs, oligonucleotides, peptides and viral vectors.

Events Continuous Chromatography Course 01 Oct 2026

From 7 to 9 September 2027, the FHNW School of Life Sciences hosts a three-day, hands-on seminar on continuous chromatography at its Muttenz campus near Basel, Switzerland. You learn the principles from leading experts in the field and apply them straight away on Contichrom® CUBE twin-column systems, for capture and polishing of mAbs, peptides, oligonucleotides and viral vectors.

Key facts

Dates	Tuesday 7 – Thursday 9 September 2027 (3 days)
Location	FHNW Campus Muttenz, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132 Muttenz (near Basel), Switzerland
Organizer	FHNW School of Life Sciences
Format	On site: lectures, lab sessions and group work
Language	English
Course fee	CHF 3,000
Application deadline	31 July 2027
Certificate	Confirmation of participation
Course director	Prof. Dr. Thomas Villiger, FHNW

What you will learn

Continuous twin-column processes such as CaptureSMB® and MCSGP raise productivity and resin utilisation and cut buffer and solvent use compared with single-column batch chromatography. This seminar shows you how, and when, to use them. By the end of the three days you will be able to:

explain the fundamentals of large-molecule chromatography
design, run and optimise multi-column chromatography processes
evaluate process performance and plan the scale-up
apply what you learned straight away, through practical lab training

Hands-on training on Contichrom® CUBE

Every day pairs lectures with lab sessions. Working in small groups on Contichrom® CUBE twin-column systems, you will:

run batch and CaptureSMB® affinity capture side by side
develop a linear-gradient polishing method and run it as MCSGP with AutoPeak® dynamic process control
compare batch and continuous runs on productivity, yield, resin use and buffer consumption
present your group’s capture and polishing results and discuss them with the lecturers

Programme

Each day combines theory, lab work and expert-guided analysis. The topics below follow the 2026 programme; the detailed 2027 timetable will be published on the FHNW course page.

Day	Theme	Topics
Tue 7 Sep	Production of Biotherapeutics	Production of biotherapeutics; fundamentals of large-molecule chromatography; continuous countercurrent chromatography for affinity capture; performance evaluation. Lab: batch capture and CaptureSMB®. Evening: welcome reception.
Wed 8 Sep	Hands-on Chromatography	Bind-and-elute (polishing) chromatography. Lab: linear gradient chromatography and MCSGP with AutoPeak®. Evaluation of batch vs CaptureSMB®; group presentations. Evening: social programme and dinner.
Thu 9 Sep	Workshop and Wrap-up	Modelling and simulation; MCSGP evaluation and group presentations; scale-up of continuous chromatography; N-Rich® for isolation of impurities; course review. Optional guided lab tour.

Course leaders

Learn from experts with academic and industrial backgrounds, supported in the lab by experienced supervisors and tutors.

Massimo Morbidelli, Ph.D. – Professor of Chemical Reaction and Separation Technologies, Department of Chemistry, Politecnico di Milano
Thomas Müller-Späth, Ph.D. – CEO, YMC ChromaCon, Zurich

What past participants say

“The continuous chromatography seminar had an excellent balance of theoretical content and laboratory based exercises. It was great to explore the significant gains observed in productivity, buffer consumption and resin utilization over batch chromatography.” – Theresa Ahern, PhD, Eli Lilly (Ireland)

“Great to learn all the potential and applications of the different ways of using continuous chromatography and learn that this is not just a smart way of working in research, but that it can be implemented in large scale production.” – Mercedes Ferreras, PhD, Novo Nordisk (Denmark)

Who should attend

The seminar is designed for separation scientists and process development engineers from industry and academia who already have some experience with single-column chromatography. It suits you if you work in:

downstream process development for biologics, peptides or oligonucleotides
chromatography method development and purification
scale-up and manufacturing
academic research moving from batch to continuous processing

How to register

Apply by 31 July 2027 on the FHNW website. Places are limited to keep the lab groups small.

Questions about the course or registration: Prof. Dr. Thomas Villiger, FHNW – , +41 61 228 52 46

Questions about the technology or Contichrom® systems: YMC ChromaCon –

Read up before the course

CaptureSMB® – continuous capture
MCSGP – continuous polishing
AutoPeak® dynamic process control
Contichrom® CUBE lab system
Applications: mAbs · peptides · oligonucleotides · viral vectors
White papers and application notes

Questions about the course?

Email:

info@chromacon.com

What is the main focus of the “Continuous Chromatography for Biotherapeutics” course?

The course focuses on the practical implementation of continuous chromatography in downstream processing of biotherapeutics. You will learn core principles, see how continuous modes compare with batch operation, and apply these concepts in hands-on sessions using twin-column systems for capture and polishing of biologics such as monoclonal antibodies, oligonucleotides, peptides and viral vectors.

What level of prior experience do I need to benefit from this course?

Participants should have a basic understanding of conventional single-column chromatography (e.g., gradient elution, binding and elution, column packing and operation). Prior experience with continuous chromatography is not required. The course is designed to introduce continuous concepts step by step and to make them accessible to scientists, engineers and technical staff working in bioprocess development or manufacturing.

Which types of molecules and processes are covered?

The course emphasises biotherapeutic applications, including monoclonal antibodies, oligonucleotides, peptides and viral vectors. Through lectures and case studies, you will see how continuous chromatography concepts can be adapted to different molecule classes, capture and polishing steps, and how to evaluate key metrics such as productivity, resin utilisation, solvent consumption and robustness.

Will I get hands-on experience with continuous chromatography equipment?

Yes. A significant part of the seminar is dedicated to interactive lab workshops. You will work directly with laboratory-scale twin-column systems (for example, Contichrom® CUBE instruments), configure methods, run experiments, analyse chromatograms and discuss optimisation strategies with the instructors. This practical experience is key to transferring continuous chromatography into your own environment.

How do I register and are seats limited?

Registration is handled via the official FHNW continuing education website. You can find the latest information, full course description and registration form at the seminar page: FHNW – Continuous Chromatography for Biotherapeutics. Seats are intentionally limited to maintain a highly interactive format and ensure that every participant receives individual support during the lectures and laboratory sessions.

YMC ChromaCon at the BESIG Novel Technologies in Bioprocessing Conference — UCL, London, 23 June

YMC ChromaCon's Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth presents "Continuous Chromatography for Biologics" at the IChemE BESIG conference at UCL on 23 June 2026 — capture and polishing case studies across monoclonal antibodies, bispecifics, and ADCs, plus process control and scale-up.

Events BESIG Conference 10 Jun 2026

A one-day IChemE BESIG conference on the newest developments in bioprocessing tools and strategies. Our CEO presents continuous chromatography for biologics — capture and polishing for monoclonal antibodies, bispecifics, and ADCs.

Event at a Glance

Event	BESIG Novel Technologies in Bioprocessing Conference (IChemE Biochemical Engineering Special Interest Group)
Date	Tuesday, 23 June 2026 (one-day conference)
Venue	University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
YMC ChromaCon focus	Continuous chromatography for biologics — CaptureSMB® capture and MCSGP polishing for mAbs, bispecifics, and ADCs

Our Talk

Continuous Chromatography for Biologics

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 · UCL, London

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth — CEO and co-founder, ChromaCon AG, a YMC company

Continuous chromatography offers tremendous improvements in throughput and cost for the downstream processing of biologics. This presentation introduces the core principles of continuous chromatography, then works through case studies across monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). It also covers the two factors that determine whether a continuous process is genuinely production-ready: dynamic process control and scale-up.

The talk addresses, in turn:

Continuous capture for monoclonal antibodies. CaptureSMB® twin-column periodic countercurrent capture loads Protein A resin safely beyond breakthrough, delivering 2.5× higher productivity, 92% resin utilisation, and 50% buffer savings versus batch — validated from lab to GMP scale by Bristol Myers Squibb. AutomAb® dynamic control adjusts loading duration in real time to compensate for feed titer variability and column aging.
Polishing for bispecifics and ADCs. MCSGP continuous polishing eliminates the purity-yield trade-off of batch chromatography by internally recycling impure side-fractions. For bispecific charge-variant profiles and high-value ADC payloads, AutoPeak® dynamic control keeps the product collection window precisely on target across long campaigns.
Process control and scale-up. AutomAb® and AutoPeak® — our proprietary UV-based dynamic control technologies — are what take a continuous process from development-ready to production-ready, and are validated as Process Analytical Technology (PAT). Methods transfer directly from the Contichrom® CUBE to GMP manufacturing on the Contichrom® TWIN.

Case Studies at a Glance

Antibody format	Continuous chromatography approach	What it delivers
Monoclonal antibodies	Continuous Protein A capture with CaptureSMB® and AutomAb® dynamic control	2.5× higher productivity, 92% resin utilisation, 50% less buffer — validated lab-to-GMP by Bristol Myers Squibb
Bispecific antibodies	MCSGP continuous polishing with AutoPeak® dynamic control	Resolves complex charge-variant profiles with tight, UV-tracked collection windows
ADCs	MCSGP continuous polishing of payloads and conjugates	Recovers high-value product that batch polishing discards; reduces in-process controls and PMI

Meet Us at UCL

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth and the YMC ChromaCon team will be available during the conference to discuss:

Continuous Protein A capture (CaptureSMB®) for mAbs, bispecifics, Fc-fusion proteins, and antibody fragments
Continuous polishing (MCSGP) for charge variants, aggregates, and ADC payloads
Dynamic process control with AutomAb® and AutoPeak® — validated as PAT
Process development on the Contichrom® CUBE and scale-up to GMP manufacturing on the Contichrom® TWIN
Integration of continuous capture with perfusion bioreactors for end-to-end continuous biomanufacturing
Feasibility studies, rental options, and on-site demos at our Zurich facility

About the Speaker

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth is CEO and co-founder of ChromaCon AG, a YMC company, and an expert in downstream processing and continuous bioprocessing technologies, with extensive experience in chromatography process development, scale-up, and manufacturing for biologics. He has led the development of CaptureSMB®, MCSGP, AutomAb®, AutoPeak®, and N-Rich® from research concept to GMP-validated commercial technology.

What is YMC ChromaCon presenting at the BESIG conference?

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth, CEO and co-founder of ChromaCon AG (a YMC company), will present “Continuous Chromatography for Biologics” at the BESIG Novel Technologies in Bioprocessing Conference at UCL on 23 June 2026. The talk introduces continuous chromatography principles, then works through case studies on monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and ADCs, plus process control and scale-up.

How does CaptureSMB® improve monoclonal antibody capture?

Conventional batch Protein A capture loads resin conservatively to only 50–70% of its dynamic binding capacity to avoid product breakthrough, leaving expensive resin underused. CaptureSMB® uses two columns in periodic countercurrent mode so the second column captures any breakthrough, allowing the first to be loaded safely beyond breakthrough. Bristol Myers Squibb validated 2.5× higher productivity, 92% resin utilization, and 50% buffer savings, with equivalent yield and viral clearance, from lab to GMP scale.

How is continuous chromatography relevant to bispecifics and ADCs?

Bispecific antibodies carry complex charge-variant and homodimer profiles that demand high-resolution polishing; ADC payloads and conjugates are among the most expensive molecules in manufacturing, so product recovery is critical. MCSGP continuous polishing internally recycles impure side-fractions, recovering product that batch chromatography discards while holding target purity. AutoPeak® dynamic control keeps the collection window precisely on target across long campaigns.

What are AutomAb® and AutoPeak®?

They are YMC ChromaCon’s proprietary UV-based dynamic process control technologies. AutomAb® controls the loading phase in CaptureSMB® capture, adjusting loading duration in real time from the breakthrough curve to compensate for feed titer variability and column aging. AutoPeak® controls the collection window in MCSGP polishing, tracking the elution profile to compensate for retention time drift. Both are validated as Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and are what make a continuous process production-ready.

Has continuous chromatography been validated at production scale?

Yes. Bristol Myers Squibb validated CaptureSMB® continuous capture from lab to GMP production scale with 100× scale-up, demonstrating consistent yield, comparable product quality, and equivalent viral clearance (published in BioProcess International, 2018, and Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2019 and 2021). MCSGP continuous polishing has been GMP-validated for peptide manufacturing at Bachem since 2022, with a published Process Characterization and Performance Qualification framework (Eisenhuth & Müller-Späth, Processes, 2025).

Can one system run both capture and polishing, and does it scale?

Yes. All Contichrom® systems run CaptureSMB® continuous capture, MCSGP continuous polishing, batch, and 2D/3D integrated batch on the same hardware. Processes are developed on the lab-scale Contichrom® CUBE and transfer directly to the Contichrom® TWIN for GMP manufacturing, with control setpoints carrying over without re-optimization.

How can I meet the YMC ChromaCon at the conference?

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth will be at UCL on 23 June 2026. Use the contact form to arrange a meeting. We can discuss CaptureSMB® and MCSGP for your specific biologic, dynamic process control, perfusion integration, feasibility studies at our Zurich facility, Contichrom® CUBE rental, or scale-up to the Contichrom® TWIN.

IOPC 2026 — YMC ChromaCon at the International Oligonucleotides & Peptides Conference, Athens

Meet YMC ChromaCon at IOPC 2026 in Athens, 9–11 June. CEO Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth presents new data on AutoPeak® dynamic process control and green solvents for MCSGP — for robust, sustainable, PFAS-free peptide and oligonucleotide manufacturing.

Events IOPC Conference 10 May 2026

YMC ChromaCon at IOPC 2026 Athens — Dynamic Process Control and Green Solvents for MCSGP

The 7th International Oligonucleotides and Peptides Conference. New data on AutoPeak® dynamic process control and green-solvent MCSGP for sustainable peptide and oligonucleotide manufacturing.

Event at a Glance

Event	IOPC 2026 — 7th International Oligonucleotides and Peptides Conference
Dates	9–11 June 2026
Venue	Titania Hotel, Athens, Greece
YMC ChromaCon focus	MCSGP continuous polishing with AutoPeak® dynamic control — for peptides, GLP-1s, and oligonucleotides

Our Talk

Dynamic Process Control and Use of Green Solvents in Continuous Chromatography (MCSGP)

Wednesday, 10 June 2026 — 17:05–17:35 · Peptides track

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth — CEO and co-founder, ChromaCon AG, a YMC company

MCSGP is increasingly adopted across the pharmaceutical industry for the purification of synthetic peptides and oligonucleotides. In the context of GLP-1 peptide manufacturing in particular, MCSGP addresses the core challenges of scalability, automation, and sustainability — through its process principle of automatic, in-line side-cut recycling.

This presentation covers two developments that decide whether an MCSGP process is genuinely production-ready:

AutoPeak® — UV-based dynamic process control. AutoPeak® is the proprietary closed-loop control technology required to run MCSGP reliably at manufacturing scale. It monitors the elution profile in real time at the column outlet and adjusts product collection windows cycle-by-cycle to compensate for retention time drift, column aging, and starting-material variability. Without AutoPeak®, fixed-time MCSGP cannot deliver consistent purity and yield across hundreds of cycles. The talk covers practical implementation guidance for designing robust, drift-tolerant AutoPeak®-controlled MCSGP processes.
Green solvents for MCSGP. A case study demonstrating MCSGP with green solvents — maintaining the yield and purity that batch chromatography typically forfeits when fluorinated solvents are removed. The findings are directly relevant to the reduction of hazardous waste and the elimination of PFAS (forever chemicals) from peptide and oligonucleotide manufacturing.

Why It Matters

	Without AutoPeak®	MCSGP with AutoPeak®
Manufacturing operation	Fixed-time windows; manual intervention as retention times drift	Closed-loop UV-triggered windows; consistent across hundreds of cycles
Response to feed variability	Yield loss or purity excursion	Automatic compensation, cycle-by-cycle
Solvent footprint	High; often PFAS-containing	Up to 75% reduction; PFAS-free solvent systems demonstrated
Regulatory positioning	Manual control burdens validation	AutoPeak® validated as Process Analytical Technology (PAT)

Meet Us in Athens

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth and the YMC ChromaCon team will be available throughout IOPC 2026 to discuss:

MCSGP for GLP-1 and complex peptide manufacturing — process design and scale-up
AEX MCSGP for synthetic oligonucleotides — ASOs, siRNA, GalNAc conjugates
Green-solvent MCSGP workflows and PFAS-elimination strategies
The Contichrom® CUBE for process development, scale-up to Contichrom® PILOT 300X and Contichrom® TWIN HPLC for GMP manufacturing
Feasibility studies, rental options, and on-site demos at our Zurich facility

About the Speaker

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth is CEO and co-founder of ChromaCon AG, a YMC company. He has led the development of MCSGP, AutoPeak®, and N-Rich® from research concept to GMP-validated commercial technology, including the first published Process Characterization and Performance Qualification framework for MCSGP (Eisenhuth & Müller-Späth, Processes 2025, with Bachem on the bivalirudin programme).

What is YMC ChromaCon presenting at IOPC 2026?

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth, CEO and co-founder of ChromaCon AG (a YMC company), will present “Dynamic Process Control and Use of Green Solvents in Continuous Chromatography (MCSGP)” on Wednesday 10 June at 17:05 in the peptides track. The talk covers AutoPeak® — our proprietary closed-loop control technology for MCSGP manufacturing — and a case study on green-solvent MCSGP that eliminates PFAS without sacrificing yield or purity.

Why is AutoPeak® required for MCSGP manufacturing?

MCSGP is a cyclic process that runs for hundreds or thousands of switches across a campaign. Retention times drift as columns age, feed varies, and buffer batches change. Fixed-time collection windows cannot accommodate this. AutoPeak® monitors the UV elution profile at the column outlet in real time and adjusts the product collection window cycle-by-cycle, keeping every cycle on target. It is validated as a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and is what takes MCSGP from development-ready to production-ready.

What does "green solvents for MCSGP" mean in practice?

Many established peptide and oligonucleotide RP-HPLC methods rely on fluorinated additives, including PFAS-class “forever chemicals”. Removing them in a batch process typically costs yield or purity. The case study presented at IOPC shows that with MCSGP and AutoPeak® control, the same separation can be performed with green solvents — without the yield and purity loss that batch chromatography typically forfeits when fluorinated solvents are eliminated. This directly addresses hazardous-waste reduction and PFAS-elimination targets in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

How is MCSGP with AutoPeak® relevant to GLP-1 peptide manufacturing?

GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide are long-chain peptides with complex impurity profiles and very high commercial volumes. Batch RP-HPLC forces a purity–yield trade-off and consumes large solvent volumes. MCSGP recycles impure side-fractions internally, recovering peptide product that batch processes discard, with up to 75% less solvent. AutoPeak® keeps the process consistent across long manufacturing campaigns. For GLP-1 manufacturing this addresses scalability, automation, and sustainability simultaneously.

Has MCSGP been validated under GMP?

Yes. Bachem has run GMP MCSGP peptide manufacturing since 2022. The first published Process Characterization and Performance Qualification framework for MCSGP — Eisenhuth and Müller-Späth, _Processes_ 13(12):3950 (2025) — was demonstrated on the 20-mer peptide Bivalirudin and showed 62% gross-to-gross yield, greater than 99.0% purity across all PPQ batches, a 95% reduction in in-process controls versus batch, and PMI reduced from approximately 5,200 to 1,400 kg/kg. AutoPeak® was validated as a PAT in the same programme.

Download the PPQ Paper

Does MCSGP also work for synthetic oligonucleotides?

Yes. MCSGP runs on the same hardware for both peptides (RP-HPLC mode) and oligonucleotides (AEX or IP-RP mode). It has been applied to antisense oligonucleotides, siRNA, and GalNAc conjugates. Recent published data on a siRNA conjugate (Weldon et al., _Organic Process Research & Development_ 29:1400, 2025) showed a yield increase from 80% to 93% by AEX MCSGP.

Download the Paper

How can I meet the YMC ChromaCon team during IOPC 2026?

Dr. Thomas Müller-Späth and the YMC ChromaCon team will be available throughout the three days in Athens. Use the contact form on this page to request a meeting slot. We can discuss MCSGP for your specific peptide or oligonucleotide programme, green-solvent workflows, feasibility studies at our Zurich facility, Contichrom® CUBE rental, or scale-up to the Contichrom® PILOT 300X and Contichrom® TWIN HPLC.

Key facts

What you will learn

Hands-on training on Contichrom® CUBE

Programme

Course leaders

What past participants say

Who should attend

How to register

Read up before the course

Questions about the course?

Frequently Asked Questions About the Continuous Chromatography Course

What is the main focus of the “Continuous Chromatography for Biotherapeutics” course?

What level of prior experience do I need to benefit from this course?

Which types of molecules and processes are covered?

Will I get hands-on experience with continuous chromatography equipment?

How do I register and are seats limited?

Event at a Glance

Our Talk

Continuous Chromatography for Biologics

Case Studies at a Glance

Meet Us at UCL

About the Speaker

Frequently Asked Questions

What is YMC ChromaCon presenting at the BESIG conference?

How does CaptureSMB® improve monoclonal antibody capture?

How is continuous chromatography relevant to bispecifics and ADCs?

What are AutomAb® and AutoPeak®?

Has continuous chromatography been validated at production scale?

Can one system run both capture and polishing, and does it scale?

How can I meet the YMC ChromaCon at the conference?

Event at a Glance

Our Talk

Dynamic Process Control and Use of Green Solvents in Continuous Chromatography (MCSGP)

Why It Matters

Meet Us in Athens

About the Speaker

Frequently Asked Questions

What is YMC ChromaCon presenting at IOPC 2026?

Why is AutoPeak® required for MCSGP manufacturing?

What does "green solvents for MCSGP" mean in practice?

How is MCSGP with AutoPeak® relevant to GLP-1 peptide manufacturing?

Has MCSGP been validated under GMP?

Does MCSGP also work for synthetic oligonucleotides?

How can I meet the YMC ChromaCon team during IOPC 2026?