Inactivation

Destroying the infectivity of viruses, for example by low-pH hold, solvent/detergent treatment, heat or chemical agents, as opposed to removing them. Low pH and solvent/detergent treatment work best on enveloped viruses. In biologics purification, inactivation and removal steps are combined so that total clearance has a margin and no single step carries the whole claim. Inactivation steps are controlled for time, pH and temperature, and those hold conditions are commonly classified as critical process parameters.