Research Project
8796739
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The manufacturing of recombinant coagulation factor VIII is a complex, labor and capital intensive endeavor. Of the recombinant proteins currently marketed, coagulation factor VIII is manufactured with the lowest efficiency and is by far the most expensive on a per unit mass basis with a pharmacy price of $10,000,000 per gram. The goal of the current application is to develop a product technology and a manufacturing process that can improve the production volume and pharmacy price of factor VIII biologics. Expression Therapeutics has developed and patented two technologies, a bioengineered factor VIII transgene that demonstrates 100-fold greater expression than standard human factor VIII, and a high performance baby hamster kidney-derived (BHK) cell line, designated BHK-MS, that can be cultured and expanded indefinitely and at high density in serum-free medium under suspension bioreactor conditions. In the current application, we propose to complete pre-clinical manufacturing, product characterization and pharmacology and toxicity studies necessary to submit an Investigational New Drug application.
