Prolor Biotech to Use The University of Queensland’s Human Growth Hormone Cell Line

Prolor Biotech obtained a nonexclusive license to The University of Queensland’s (UQ) human growth hormone (HGH) receptor cell line. It will help the company expedite development and manufacturing of its long-acting version of HGH, comments Shai Novik, president of Prolor Biotech.

“Not only can the cell line measure the hormone’s potency, but it can also be used to detect neutralizing antibodies directed against HGH,” Novik points out. The UQ cell line will also result in significant cost savings, provide more reliable and consistent results compared to current techniques, and does not require animals for testing, the company continues.

Current manufacturers of human growth hormone assay for potency by using hypophysectomized rodents. HGH is then administered to the animals and the potency determined by measuring their weight gain and length of femur. This assay is not only extremely expensive but also produces inconsistent results, according to Prolor Biotech.