Enabling technology
Examples of enabling technology projects previously funded by Technology Transfer. See other areas
Strategic Translation Award
An attractive solution: A pheromone-based 'lure-and-kill' strategy may be a way to control Leishmania-transmitting sand flies
One potential way to reduce the impact of this neglected disease is an innovative, pheromone-based 'lure-and-kill' approach being developed by Gordon Hamilton and colleagues at Keele University and the Fundaçao Oswaldo Cruz in Brazil. In South America, Leishmania infantum chagasi is transmitted by the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. As with mosquitoes and malaria, it is only female sand flies that take blood meals and transmit the parasite from infected dogs (the mammalian reservoir of the infection) to humans. If sand fly feeding on dogs and humans could be better controlled, or even prevented, transmission would be less likely to occur, and the number of cases reduced.
Among parasites transmitted by insects, single-celled parasites of the genus Leishmania are second only to malaria in terms of their impact on health. The parasites cause the potentially fatal visceral leishmaniasis, which affects some half a million people worldwide each year.
One potential way to reduce the impact of this neglected disease is an innovative, pheromone-based 'lure-and-kill' approach being developed by Gordon Hamilton and colleagues at Keele University and the Fundaçao Oswaldo Cruz in Brazil. In South America, Leishmania infantum chagasi is transmitted by the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. As with mosquitoes and malaria, it is only female sand flies that take blood meals and transmit the parasite from infected dogs (the mammalian reservoir of the infection) to humans. If sand fly feeding on dogs and humans could be better controlled, or even prevented, transmission would be less likely to occur, and the number of cases reduced.
The strategy adopted by Dr Hamilton and his team has been to exploit the natural communication system that controls sand fly reproductive behaviour. At dusk, male sand flies aggregate on and around host animals, releasing chemicals (sex pheromones) that attract both sexes to mate, and females to blood-feed. With Technology Transfer funding, Dr Hamilton and his colleague Krishnakumari Bandi have demonstrated that the male pheromone can be synthesized from an inexpensive and easily obtained plant derived intermediate, and that the synthetic pheromone attracts female sand flies in the laboratory.
In recent trials, Dr Hamilton, Daniel Bray and Reginaldo Brazil extended this work to show that the pheromone also attracts sand flies in the field. Using dispensers which release the chemical at a similar rate to a group of aggregating males, the group showed that the synthetic pheromone can be used to attract both sexes to mechanical light traps and inexpensive sticky traps in Brazil.
Strategic Translation Award
Development of A549 cells as a cell substrate for vaccine production
The new method will grow viruses in the laboratory in a type of human cell called A549 rather than in chicken eggs as is currently done for many vaccines such as the influenza vaccine. The cells will be grown in a liquid suspensions that are very inexpensive compared with eggs. It will be possible to make much more vaccine in cells than can be made in eggs. Importantly, vaccines can be made in cells much faster than is feasible in eggs. Production speed for timely vaccine distribution is critical when faced with a situation such as the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic.
Although several manufacturers have previously developed novel methods which replace eggs with cells grown in culture, the medicines regulatory authorities have been resistant to approving them due to uncertainty about the risks of using such cell lines in vaccine production, especially those employing live virus. Advances in biotechnology now allow for extensive genetic characterization and purity testing of vaccine candidate production cells. In Europe and the USA the EMEA and the FDA have issued guidelines for development of vaccine producing cell substrates. A549 is being developed to meet these new stringent standards.
A key benefit to society will be the ability to supply life-saving vaccines to all nations regardless of their economic status due to the extremely low cost for making vaccines in A549 cells.
PaxVax proposes to develop a new way to make vaccines that is less expensive and faster than current methods. Many vaccines are still produced using archaic egg-based methods that limit vaccine supply and keep costs high.
The new method will grow viruses in the laboratory in a type of human cell called A549 rather than in chicken eggs as is currently done for many vaccines such as the influenza vaccine. The cells will be grown in a liquid suspensions that are very inexpensive compared with eggs. It will be possible to make much more vaccine in cells than can be made in eggs. Importantly, vaccines can be made in cells much faster than is feasible in eggs. Production speed for timely vaccine distribution is critical when faced with a situation such as the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic.
Although several manufacturers have previously developed novel methods which replace eggs with cells grown in culture, the medicines regulatory authorities have been resistant to approving them due to uncertainty about the risks of using such cell lines in vaccine production, especially those employing live virus. Advances in biotechnology now allow for extensive genetic characterization and purity testing of vaccine candidate production cells. In Europe and the USA the EMEA and the FDA have issued guidelines for development of vaccine producing cell substrates. A549 is being developed to meet these new stringent standards.
A key benefit to society will be the ability to supply life-saving vaccines to all nations regardless of their economic status due to the extremely low cost for making vaccines in A549 cells.
Strategic Translation Award
Massively parallel sequencing of populations of genomes
The core technology provides a way to analyse thousands of genomes, cost effectively, in parallel for very large scale population genetics. The ability to provide information on genome sequence variation among individuals in a population will give an indication of the predisposition of those individuals to specific diseases and their propensity for certain adverse drug reactions. The impact of this information on drug discovery, clinical drug trials, biomedical research and diagnosis of disease will be considerable, particularly if data can be produced in a fast and cost-effective manner. One obvious application is in the use of the major human cohort studies, like UK Biobank and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).
Professor Sydney Brenner has been awarded translational funds to form a company based on his invention of a 'massively parallel sequencing by sorting' technology.
The core technology provides a way to analyse thousands of genomes, cost effectively, in parallel for very large scale population genetics. The ability to provide information on genome sequence variation among individuals in a population will give an indication of the predisposition of those individuals to specific diseases and their propensity for certain adverse drug reactions. The impact of this information on drug discovery, clinical drug trials, biomedical research and diagnosis of disease will be considerable, particularly if data can be produced in a fast and cost-effective manner. One obvious application is in the use of the major human cohort studies, like UK Biobank and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).
See also: Population Genetics Technologies
Translation Award
Construction and testing of a whole-cell arsenic biosensor with a simple visual readout for field use
Arsenicosis from chronic consumption of contaminated ground water affects virtually all organs and tissues where skin lesions, bronchitis, gastroenteritis and ultimately a range of cancers are typical pathologies.
Although arsenic contamination of drinking water is a global problem, it most seriously affects on the order of 100 million people in some of the poorest regions on earth including India/West Bengal, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Prof James Ajioka's team at Cambridge University and Prof French at Edinburgh University are aiming to construct an inexpensive and reliable kit to assess arsenic contamination in drinking water in rural villages. Based on the observation that some bacteria detect arsenic, they will engineer an arsenic sensing device based on the Bacillus subtilis arsenic operon. This biosensor will be combined with a reporter system based on the violacein operon, resulting in bacteria that would turn green when it detects very low, safe levels of arsenic in the drinking water, but if the arsenic contamination is at a dangerous level, it will turn violet. The transcriptional signal to drive the pigment device in the bacteria can be tuned to respond to arsenic levels within definition of WHO safe or dangerous levels. The kit will be based on a weakened strain of the harmless soil dwelling bacteria, B. subtilis, housed in a robust plastic container to further reduce any risk and for easy, environmentally friendly deactivation/disposal.
Although arsenic contamination of drinking water is a global problem, it most seriously affects on the order of 100 million people in some of the poorest regions on earth including India/West Bengal, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Prof James Ajioka's team at Cambridge University and Prof French at Edinburgh University are aiming to construct an inexpensive and reliable kit to assess arsenic contamination in drinking water in rural villages. Based on the observation that some bacteria detect arsenic, they will engineer an arsenic sensing device based on the Bacillus subtilis arsenic operon. This biosensor will be combined with a reporter system based on the violacein operon, resulting in bacteria that would turn green when it detects very low, safe levels of arsenic in the drinking water, but if the arsenic contamination is at a dangerous level, it will turn violet. The transcriptional signal to drive the pigment device in the bacteria can be tuned to respond to arsenic levels within definition of WHO safe or dangerous levels. The kit will be based on a weakened strain of the harmless soil dwelling bacteria, B. subtilis, housed in a robust plastic container to further reduce any risk and for easy, environmentally friendly deactivation/disposal.
Translation Award
Automated synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) can be broadly considered as man-made equivalents of natural antibodies and are an important research target due to their potential to replace antibodies in medical diagnostics, therapeutics and general sensor applications.
However, traditional methods of synthesis yield bulk products or particles which are not easily integrated into sensors, difficult to process and have a broad range of affinities towards the target compounds, i.e. a mixed population of high and low-affinity binding sites. These problems can be solved by synthesising soluble MIP particles in the presence of a solid phase containing the target compound which doubles as an affinity separation matrix. This way high-affinity particles are retained on the solid support as they are synthesised, allowing for subsequent removal of monomers and at the same time selecting only the 'good' ones which have high affinity towards the target. The products of this process (MIP nanoparticles) have recognition properties comparable to that of natural antibodies, and the potential to be used for the same purposes. Researchers from Cranfield University lead by Professor Sergey Piletsky are seeking to develop an automated reactor that combines the synthesis and purification of MIPS using a unique method developed at the University. Currently there is no device available on the market for the production of MIP nanoparticles in the quality and quantities required by industry. The main goal is to produce a working prototype synthesiser and optimise its operational parameters based on the process described above for demonstration of its functional properties and market potential.
However, traditional methods of synthesis yield bulk products or particles which are not easily integrated into sensors, difficult to process and have a broad range of affinities towards the target compounds, i.e. a mixed population of high and low-affinity binding sites. These problems can be solved by synthesising soluble MIP particles in the presence of a solid phase containing the target compound which doubles as an affinity separation matrix. This way high-affinity particles are retained on the solid support as they are synthesised, allowing for subsequent removal of monomers and at the same time selecting only the 'good' ones which have high affinity towards the target. The products of this process (MIP nanoparticles) have recognition properties comparable to that of natural antibodies, and the potential to be used for the same purposes. Researchers from Cranfield University lead by Professor Sergey Piletsky are seeking to develop an automated reactor that combines the synthesis and purification of MIPS using a unique method developed at the University. Currently there is no device available on the market for the production of MIP nanoparticles in the quality and quantities required by industry. The main goal is to produce a working prototype synthesiser and optimise its operational parameters based on the process described above for demonstration of its functional properties and market potential.
Translation Award
Automated high-dimensional outcome prediction in stroke
Stroke is a significant cause of death and disability around the world yet patient outcomes are not improving as fast as those for similar conditions such as heart disease.
A major cause is the difficulty in providing targeted care in a patient group with hugely diverse treatment needs. Dr Parashkev Nachev of the UCL Institute of Neurology, London has been given a Translation Award to develop a system for predicting outcomes in order to provide advance information on the optimal treatment for each patient. The system uses automated brain image analysis with high-dimensional computer-aided inference and exploits the finely specialized anatomical architecture of the brain, capturing the relation between the pattern of brain damage and the outcome in the patient with high fidelity. The Translation Award to Dr Nachev will be used to develop the technology to the point of direct clinical application.
A major cause is the difficulty in providing targeted care in a patient group with hugely diverse treatment needs. Dr Parashkev Nachev of the UCL Institute of Neurology, London has been given a Translation Award to develop a system for predicting outcomes in order to provide advance information on the optimal treatment for each patient. The system uses automated brain image analysis with high-dimensional computer-aided inference and exploits the finely specialized anatomical architecture of the brain, capturing the relation between the pattern of brain damage and the outcome in the patient with high fidelity. The Translation Award to Dr Nachev will be used to develop the technology to the point of direct clinical application.
Translation Award
Development of a device for medicines authentication by quadrupole resonance methods
The Trust has awarded King’s College London, in collaboration with Lund University, Sweden, a Translation Award to turn its expertise in applying the radiofrequency spectroscopic technique Quadrupole Resonance (QR) to the examination of pharmaceutical formulations into a robust, economical and portable medicines authentication device. The proposed device will be able to identify the active pharmaceutical ingredient present in a pharmaceutical formulation, quantify it, and provide additional information that can be compared with genuine, high-standard medicines from approved sources without the need to know what other components are present in the pill formulation. As QR is a radiofrequency technique, it can detect signals from target materials through multiple-layers of packaging, making the method non-invasive and non-destructive. This project will serve as a springboard to commercialising the KCL-Lund approach through licensing the technology to a commercial manufacturer or establishing a spin-out company.
Counterfeit and substandard medicines constitute a serious threat to public health. The scale of the problem is already great – particularly in the developing world – and is still growing.
The Trust has awarded King’s College London, in collaboration with Lund University, Sweden, a Translation Award to turn its expertise in applying the radiofrequency spectroscopic technique Quadrupole Resonance (QR) to the examination of pharmaceutical formulations into a robust, economical and portable medicines authentication device. The proposed device will be able to identify the active pharmaceutical ingredient present in a pharmaceutical formulation, quantify it, and provide additional information that can be compared with genuine, high-standard medicines from approved sources without the need to know what other components are present in the pill formulation. As QR is a radiofrequency technique, it can detect signals from target materials through multiple-layers of packaging, making the method non-invasive and non-destructive. This project will serve as a springboard to commercialising the KCL-Lund approach through licensing the technology to a commercial manufacturer or establishing a spin-out company.
Translation Award
Evaluation of candidate genomic regions to determine genetic predisposition in populations of Alzheimer's patients
Population Genetics Technologies Ltd (PopGenTech) have created an approach for cost-effectively screening relevant, inherited genetic information in a large population of individuals.
PopGenTech's tagging, combining, and then analysing samples of the population as a single mixture, not individually, make it faster, easier and cheaper to relate differences in DNA sequence between individuals to inherited differences in susceptibility to disease or response to drug therapy. In this project, funded by the Wellcome Trust, PopGenTech will apply its proprietary technology to investigate genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). PopGenTech will initially screen specific genes that were identified in recent large-scale genome-wide studies of common genetic variants by Cardiff University and its fellow collaborators. The studies will use DNA samples, carefully chosen by scientists led by Professor Julie Williams at the Cardiff University MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, from populations of AD patients. The work will focus on genetic regions that involve pathways believed to be involved in AD pathology. The results achieved will validate the PopGenTech methods while providing Cardiff University with information on previously undetected rare genetic variants. Such rare variants could not only suggest possible targets for the development of future therapies but they can also provide additional objective markers for diagnosing predisposition and, when appropriate, guiding treatment strategies.
PopGenTech's tagging, combining, and then analysing samples of the population as a single mixture, not individually, make it faster, easier and cheaper to relate differences in DNA sequence between individuals to inherited differences in susceptibility to disease or response to drug therapy. In this project, funded by the Wellcome Trust, PopGenTech will apply its proprietary technology to investigate genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). PopGenTech will initially screen specific genes that were identified in recent large-scale genome-wide studies of common genetic variants by Cardiff University and its fellow collaborators. The studies will use DNA samples, carefully chosen by scientists led by Professor Julie Williams at the Cardiff University MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, from populations of AD patients. The work will focus on genetic regions that involve pathways believed to be involved in AD pathology. The results achieved will validate the PopGenTech methods while providing Cardiff University with information on previously undetected rare genetic variants. Such rare variants could not only suggest possible targets for the development of future therapies but they can also provide additional objective markers for diagnosing predisposition and, when appropriate, guiding treatment strategies.
Translation Award
Sterile insect technique to control the mosquitoes that spread dengue fever
Releasing sterile insects has been used as an effective control method against agricultural pests for over 50 years. But it has not been applied to mosquitoes because of the limitations of conventional sterilisation techniques, such as radiation.
A technique called RIDL, developed by Oxford based company Oxitec Ltd, uses advanced genetics to modify male insects to be 'sterile'. These mosquitoes, which do not bite or spread disease, are then released to mate with wild females. No viable offspring can result from these matings and as a result, the mosquito population is reduced below the threshold level that is required to transmit the disease. Oxitec has created RIDL strains of Aedes aegypti, the principal mosquito species responsible for spreading dengue fever. The lead strain - OX513A - has already been tested both in the laboratory and in contained field conditions. There is currently neither medication nor vaccine for dengue fever. According to World Health Organisation estimates, there may be over 50 million dengue infections worldwide every year and the only way to prevent transmission is to combat disease-carrying mosquitoes. The Translation Award will be used to fund open field trials to demonstrate the potential of the RIDL strains to reduce the Aedes aegypti population to below the threshold level.
See also the Wellcome Trust's short film on the work of Oxitec and the BBC World Service Discovery programme featuring Oxitec.
A technique called RIDL, developed by Oxford based company Oxitec Ltd, uses advanced genetics to modify male insects to be 'sterile'. These mosquitoes, which do not bite or spread disease, are then released to mate with wild females. No viable offspring can result from these matings and as a result, the mosquito population is reduced below the threshold level that is required to transmit the disease. Oxitec has created RIDL strains of Aedes aegypti, the principal mosquito species responsible for spreading dengue fever. The lead strain - OX513A - has already been tested both in the laboratory and in contained field conditions. There is currently neither medication nor vaccine for dengue fever. According to World Health Organisation estimates, there may be over 50 million dengue infections worldwide every year and the only way to prevent transmission is to combat disease-carrying mosquitoes. The Translation Award will be used to fund open field trials to demonstrate the potential of the RIDL strains to reduce the Aedes aegypti population to below the threshold level.
See also the Wellcome Trust's short film on the work of Oxitec and the BBC World Service Discovery programme featuring Oxitec.
Translation Award
Evaluation and development of a novel binocular treatment: I-BiT(TM) to improve vision in children with amblyopia
Amblyopia (lazy eye) is abnormal visual development in the brain during childhood causing poor vision in one eye.
Amblyopia affects 2-3 per cent of the population and leads to restrictions in employment and risks of blindness Conventional treatment involves patching the "good" eye for hours each day which is unpleasant for the child and which has a detrimental effect on their ability to use their eyes together. Eye patching treatment adversely affects the quality of a child's life and so poor compliance results in poor visual outcome. Overall results are mediocre. The novel I-BiT(TM) system stimulates both eyes simultaneously, but sends more detailed input to the amblyopic eye. Preliminary studies show highly encouraging results with reduced treatment times. Mr Richard Gregson and colleagues at Nottingham University Hospitals have been given Translation Award funding to develop and evaluate a new I-BiT (TM) system using 100MHz shutter glasses technology and to develop unique software for use on the system. The system will then be validated in terms of software delivery and in a crossover study comparing patching treatment and I-BiT (TM).
Amblyopia affects 2-3 per cent of the population and leads to restrictions in employment and risks of blindness Conventional treatment involves patching the "good" eye for hours each day which is unpleasant for the child and which has a detrimental effect on their ability to use their eyes together. Eye patching treatment adversely affects the quality of a child's life and so poor compliance results in poor visual outcome. Overall results are mediocre. The novel I-BiT(TM) system stimulates both eyes simultaneously, but sends more detailed input to the amblyopic eye. Preliminary studies show highly encouraging results with reduced treatment times. Mr Richard Gregson and colleagues at Nottingham University Hospitals have been given Translation Award funding to develop and evaluate a new I-BiT (TM) system using 100MHz shutter glasses technology and to develop unique software for use on the system. The system will then be validated in terms of software delivery and in a crossover study comparing patching treatment and I-BiT (TM).
Translation Award
Sintero medical data sharing and analysis
Drs Ed Conley and Ian Taylor have received an award to develop computer hardware and software that automatically forms and maintains high quality collaborative networks between sets of geographically-distributed installation sites.
Sintero will co-integrate a number of interoperability technologies e.g. from openEHR, Continua Health Alliance, Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) and the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) for the primary purpose of high quality outcome analysis. Benefits of the technology include cross-site elimination of ambiguous meanings that can cause medical errors, cross-site sharing of single functional processes, and document sharing or data aggregation across heterogeneous health IT systems in support of outcomes analysis. Sintero will answer unmet needs by simplifying establishment of secure collaborations where meanings of complex sets of clinical information need to be standardised and shared.When installed across multiple sites, Sintero will also support a useful set of data collection, storage, aggregation and cross-site semantic query functions. Sintero has major potential internationally to give isolated clinical communities a state-of-the-art, multi-site semantic data capability.
Sintero will co-integrate a number of interoperability technologies e.g. from openEHR, Continua Health Alliance, Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) and the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) for the primary purpose of high quality outcome analysis. Benefits of the technology include cross-site elimination of ambiguous meanings that can cause medical errors, cross-site sharing of single functional processes, and document sharing or data aggregation across heterogeneous health IT systems in support of outcomes analysis. Sintero will answer unmet needs by simplifying establishment of secure collaborations where meanings of complex sets of clinical information need to be standardised and shared.When installed across multiple sites, Sintero will also support a useful set of data collection, storage, aggregation and cross-site semantic query functions. Sintero has major potential internationally to give isolated clinical communities a state-of-the-art, multi-site semantic data capability.
Translation Award
High throughput micro arrays for discovery of polymers resistant to bacterial colonisation
Many hospital-acquired infections are associated with implanted medical devices and more than 80 per cent have been estimated to involve biofilms.
Biofilm colonization of implanted medical devices increases the failure rate of the prosthesis and enhances the risk of lethal sepsis, e.g. catheters, shunts, heart valves, corneal implants, prosthetic joints. Morgan Alexander, Martyn Davies and Paul Williams at the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with Robert Langer and Daniel Anderson at MIT, have received Translation Award support to use novel polymer array technology to rationally design polymers for anti-biofilm properties that can be readily incorporated into standard medical devices.
Biofilm colonization of implanted medical devices increases the failure rate of the prosthesis and enhances the risk of lethal sepsis, e.g. catheters, shunts, heart valves, corneal implants, prosthetic joints. Morgan Alexander, Martyn Davies and Paul Williams at the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with Robert Langer and Daniel Anderson at MIT, have received Translation Award support to use novel polymer array technology to rationally design polymers for anti-biofilm properties that can be readily incorporated into standard medical devices.
Translation Award
Single molecule tunnelling with sub-molecular resolution
Drs Joshua Edel and Tim Albrecht were awarded funding for a new method of analysing and sequencing polymeric materials travelling through a nanometre scale pore.
In fundamental terms, individual molecules transiting through a 1-5nm circular aperture within a 50-200nm thick membrane will be used to isolate and quantify molecular structure. Translocation will be initiated electrokinetically by applying a voltage between both the upper and lower reservoirs. This research programme defines significant advances in several research areas including the use of semiconductor processing technology for biological applications, and DNA sequence analysis. The multidisciplinary team hope their approach could represent the next generation technology in high-throughput DNA sequencing with significantly higher performance benchmarks compared to existing techniques.
In fundamental terms, individual molecules transiting through a 1-5nm circular aperture within a 50-200nm thick membrane will be used to isolate and quantify molecular structure. Translocation will be initiated electrokinetically by applying a voltage between both the upper and lower reservoirs. This research programme defines significant advances in several research areas including the use of semiconductor processing technology for biological applications, and DNA sequence analysis. The multidisciplinary team hope their approach could represent the next generation technology in high-throughput DNA sequencing with significantly higher performance benchmarks compared to existing techniques.
Translation Award
Automated rapid manufacture of facial soft tissue prostheses
Currently, such prosthese are made from silicone polymers using traditional skills of dental/maxillofacial technologists. Manufacturing customised soft tissue prostheses is technically demanding, lengthy and the outcome dependent upon the skill of a small number of highly experienced technologists. With Translation Award funding, Dr Julian Yates at the University of Sheffield and his team are applying computer aided technology to customise prosthesis manufacture, produce a method of rapid manufacture and automate the process.
Providing a quicker, more convenient and more accessible method of provision of prostheses to replace eyes, ears, digits and noses affected by congenital defect, disease, surgery, or trauma.
Currently, such prosthese are made from silicone polymers using traditional skills of dental/maxillofacial technologists. Manufacturing customised soft tissue prostheses is technically demanding, lengthy and the outcome dependent upon the skill of a small number of highly experienced technologists. With Translation Award funding, Dr Julian Yates at the University of Sheffield and his team are applying computer aided technology to customise prosthesis manufacture, produce a method of rapid manufacture and automate the process.
Translation Award
Maximising plant-made immunoglobulin yield
The use of transgenic plants for the production of pharmaceuticals is one of the most promising biotechnology methods of recent years, and antibodies are by far the most valuable molecules to be produced in plants.
Transgenic plants allow for the production of GMP-compliant antibodies at significantly lower prices than animal culture. Currently however, the overall yield of functional antibody is somewhat low, and the achievement of higher yields will further reduce the manufacturing costs and ensure the supply of antibodies is sufficient to meet the high market needs. Dr Lorenzo Frigerio from the University of Warwick has been awarded translational funding to further develop and validate a technology that allows a much higher yield of antibody from plants.
Transgenic plants allow for the production of GMP-compliant antibodies at significantly lower prices than animal culture. Currently however, the overall yield of functional antibody is somewhat low, and the achievement of higher yields will further reduce the manufacturing costs and ensure the supply of antibodies is sufficient to meet the high market needs. Dr Lorenzo Frigerio from the University of Warwick has been awarded translational funding to further develop and validate a technology that allows a much higher yield of antibody from plants.