Critical Biologics to Use Scarab’s Clean Genome E. coli for Production of Phase II Gelsolin Replacement Therapy

Critical Biologics negotiated a license to Scarab Genomics’ Clean Genome® E. coli platform for the production of its Phase II-stage recombinant human plasma gelsolin (rhu-pGSN), Solinex. The deal also allows Scarab to use rhu-pGSN as a test protein for demonstrating its bacterial production technology to prospective clients.

Critical Genomics says the Clean Genome E. coli technology appears to significantly maximize production efficiency and optimize cloning performance. “We have been deeply impressed by Scarab’s fivefold increase in production yield to over 13 g/L at 5 L batch scale,” remarked Ashleigh Palmer, Critical Genomics’ CEO.

Scarab Genomics’ Clean Genome E. coli is an engineered K12 strain in which over 15% of the genome has been deleted, including transposable insertion sequences and prophage. The firm claims this genome reduction optimizes E. coli as a biological factory, with elimination of nonessential genes as well as recombinogenic or mobile DNA, toxins, and virulence genes provides increased genome and plasmid stability and improved metabolic efficiency.