Diamond Viru-S | Redefining Virus Purification

Nov 18,2025

Bestchrom

New Challenges in Virus Purification

With the rapid growth of the vaccine and viral vector industries, traditional purification methods—such as ion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography—are still widely applied. However, they often face the following challenges:

• Limited impurity removal due to insufficient selectivity

• Column efficiency declines quickly, frequent repacking

• Lengthy process cycles and limited scale-up potential

Bestchrom’s Diamond Viru-S virus affinity chromatography resin was developed precisely to address these pain points—replacing non-specific separation with specific recognition, and delivering a faster, more stable, and higher-throughput virus purification experience.

Broad-spectrum Affinity Mechanism Based on Sulfated Polysaccharide Recognition

Diamond Viru-S features a highly rigid Diamond agarose matrix coupled with a dextran sulfate ligand.

This ligand belongs to the class of sulfated polysaccharides, whose sulfonate groups (–SO₃⁻) interact with cationic amino acid residues (such as Lys and Arg) on the surface of viral envelope proteins through electrostatic and hydrogen-bond interactions. These interactions enable selective adsorption of a wide range of enveloped viruses.

Studies have shown that sulfated polysaccharides can electrostatically interact with cationic sites within the receptor-binding regions of viral envelope proteins, thereby inhibiting or enriching viral particles (Front. Microbiol., 2019; Nature Biotechnol., 1993). This mechanism endows Diamond Viru-S with broad-spectrum binding capability toward various virus systems, including influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), yellow fever virus, and lentiviral vectors.

Consequently, Viru-S can be applied in the capture and intermediate purification stages of viral vaccines and viral vectors. The resin is capable of operating at high flow rates under low back pressure, thereby significantly enhancing process throughput.

Key Advantages

• High rigidity, low back pressure

Supports high flow-rate operation with low back pressure and easy column packing, ideal for large-scale and continuous processes.

• Broad-spectrum affinity

Exhibits similar affinity toward various enveloped viruses, enabling a single resin to accommodate multiple viral or vaccine processes.

• Excellent chemical stability

Tolerates NaOH CIP and allows reuse, extending resin lifetime.

Operating Guidelines

Diamond Viru-S should not be used for binding under high conductivity conditions. At low ionic strength, the negatively charged sulfate groups on the dextran sulfate ligand repel each other, causing the polymer chains to fully extend. At high ionic strength, however, the polymer collapses and behaves more like a neutral dextran structure.

When processing influenza virus, it is recommended to maintain conductivity below 5 mS/cm and pH between 6.8 and 7.8. After column packing and before starting purification, it is advised to perform a blank run, including cleaning-in-place (CIP). Equilibrate the column with 5 column volumes (CV) of equilibration buffer until the effluent conductivity and pH become stable.

• Buffer: Phosphate buffer is preferred, with a neutral pH range of 6.8–7.8 (e.g., 20 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.8).

• Flow rate: Typically 90–500 cm/h, depending on column height; the higher the column, the lower the recommended flow rate.

• Sample preparation: To prevent column clogging, filter the sample through a 0.45 µm membrane before loading, and adjust its pH and Cond to match the equilibration buffer (using dilution, ultrafiltration, or buffer exchange with

Bestdex G-25).

• Equilibration: Wash the column with equilibration buffer until the effluent pH and Cond match those of the buffer, usually requiring 3–5 column volumes (CV).

• Sample loading: Determine the loading volume based on the concentration of target components in the sample and the binding capacity of Diamond Viru-S, then proceed with sample application.

• Washing: Wash with equilibration buffer to remove unbound material until the UV absorbance returns to baseline.

• Elution: Elute the virus using a linear or step gradient to increase elution strength, for example with 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer containing 1.5 M NaCl (pH 7.4).

Typical Applications

• Purification of recombinant RSV vaccines

• Purification of influenza virus vaccines

• Concentration and purification of lentiviral vectors

Conclusion

From ion exchange to specific recognition, from traditional chromatography to high-efficiency affinity purification — Diamond Viru-S delivers a more robust solution for virus purification with its high affinity, broad adaptability, and scalable performance.

Bestchrom — Empowering the Next Stage of Virus Purification.

References

[2]Nature Biotechnology (1993) – Virus Harvesting and Affinity-Based Liquid Chromatography.

[3]Purolite Application Note (2023) – Affinity Chromatography for Viral Capture and Clarification.