The technology is based on a genetically engineered enzyme that - after introduction into the desired cell line - improves the efficiency and speed of a number of critical cellular pathways resulting in “substantially” increased protein yield.
ProbioGen claims the technology - which can be applied to any mammalian cell line - will remove biopharmaceutical blocks presented by the cost of manufacturing in large scale, helping new drugs come to market as well as improving the production of existing medication.
Gabriele Schneider, VP of business development, told in-PharmaTechnologist.com : “Manufacturing costs are still a determining factor for the high prices of biopharmaceuticals. ProBioGen’s new technology is a further important step to mitigate this problem.
“In addition there are still a couple of low yield biopharmaceuticals being produced today where the modulator could boost expression and in turn help to reduce upstream cost of goods.”
She added that an emerging trend towards continuous production of bulk substance is a key reason for the need for improved yield, and that clients were crying out for scalable transgene expression systems.
“Among others an increased average specific productivity and stability of transgene expression over many cumulative population doublings are highly desirable for cell lines to be used in continuous manufacturing processes,” she said.
The company is now offering the platform both as a license and as a service.
Schneider told us the technology can be added to any existing cell lines, avoiding an entire new cell line development.
“The modulator can easily be integrated into other technology platforms including those of our clients. Previously established producer lines regardless of origin can still be modified with the modulator to boost expression yield,” she said.