COMPLEXINC

New Technologies and Production Tools for Complex Protein Biologics

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'ComplexINC conceptualizes and systematically generates advanced tool-kits to enable high-throughput assembly of complex biologics and metabolic pathways in eukaryotic expression systems, for micro- to large scale production of high-quality protein specimens for drug discovery and as bio-therapeutics. Essential parts of these tool-kits will be innovative next-generation HT DNA assembly pipelines for automated multigene expression construct generation, a superior synthetic viral genome, genetically engineered animal and yeast cell lines with unique capabilities with respect to protein maturation and modification, as well as advanced methods for bioprocessing and integrated quality control. Putting these tools and production technologies in place will have a dramatic impact on the availability of challenging proteins and protein complexes including such of human origin, with tailor-made properties specifically geared towards their application in drug discovery and in the treatment of human diseases. The superior next generation technology platforms created within ComplexINC, the generated IP, protein targets and therapeutics will be commercially exploited, and serve as a nucleus to initiate a new start-up enterprise to commercialize high-end biologics discovery and production.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Proteins play a critical role in most bodily functions and their dysfunction causes numerous pathological processes. Scientists are developing high-throughput toolkits for enhanced protein accessibility and rapid drug discovery.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Together with environmental and other factors, proteins are responsible for characteristics as varied as eye or hair colour and disposition. Their recipe for production is encoded by the genome, and they are the integral components of enzymes, receptors and more. The dysfunction of proteins and protein complexes is also behind a significant number of diseases. As such, the development of high-throughput production systems for selected high-value target proteins could have inestimable impact on drug discovery and biotherapeutics.

The innovative EU-funded project 'New technologies and production tools for complex protein biologics' (COMPLEXINC) is combining academic and industrial expertise to develop such advanced toolkits. Challenging areas in protein biologics are addressed, including high-throughput production of difficult target proteins, multi-protein co-expression, synthetic gene regulatory nanosystems and engineering of metabolic pathways. Application areas of prime importance are basic research, vaccine development and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for certain rare diseases.

To date, the consortium has delivered eight toolkits, including the MultiBac platform for eukaryotic multi-protein complex production, MultiYeast and MultiPichia for the same in yeast, and a eukaryotic genome engineering toolkit (recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE)) for long-term stability of expression in mammalian and insect cell lines. The drug discovery platform generates a large number of expression constructs for parallel expression tests in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems.

COMPLEXINC is developing powerful tools to increase accessibility to proteins, protein complexes and medicinal products. Application of the tools is already fostering intense basic research as well as exciting innovation and discovery. This is expected to boost EU health care and the EU economy.