Transgenic mice express therapeutic protein in milk
According to Chromos president and CEO Alistair Duncan, the accomplishment, achieved using the company's artificial chromosome expression system (ACes), is a "significant step forward" in the development of their platform technology. "These preliminary results make possible the transition of our ACes technology into commercial applications for the production of specific therapeutic proteins in the milk of larger animals," Duncan stated in a company press release.
Chromos' ACes contains only those genes required for the expression of a desired therapeutic protein, unlike natural chromosomes, which contain thousands of genes. The ACes technology enables the expression of single, large, or multiple proteins in a predictable manner, stably over a long period of time.
In the recent mouse program, founder mice were generated following pronuclear microinjection of ACes carrying a therapeutic gene and a mammary gland specific promoter into fertilized murine oocytes. Preliminary results from analysis of milk indicated secretion of the therapeutic protein in the milk. It took four months to demonstrate the protein expression from the time the mouse embryos were microinjected to the evaluation of the expression. The total number of transgenic mice generated from microinjected embryos increased significantly, from 4% to 13%.
Chromos is a biotechnology company engaged in the business of developing and commercializing an artificial chromosome expression system (ACes) for use in multiple applications, including the production of therapeutic and other commercially relevant proteins in cellular production systems, transgenic production systems and gene therapy applications.
For more information: Chromos Molecular Systems Inc., 8081 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1W9. Tel: 604-415-7100. Fax: 604-415-7151.
Edited by Jim Pomager
Assistant Editor, Drug Discovery Online