Platform enables high-yield fast-track generation of engineered and labeled proteins.
Almac and VTU Technology are partnering to provide joint services for the expression of recombinant proteins with site-specific modifications and labeling, including PEGylation. The integrated service platform combines VTU’s high-expression Pichia pastoris yeast-expression platform with Almac’s platform for site-specific C-terminal modification of proteins.
Almac says its technology can be applied to engineered and bispecific proteins and protein drug conjugates, PEGylated proteins, and labeled proteins for PET and SPECT imaging. The firm says that while currently available protein labeling technologies generate heterogeneous populations of products labeled at multiple sites, its approach enables the specific labeling site to be selected and controlled, generating a homogeneous labeled product that retains biological activity. Initial proof of principle work with VTU has demonstrated that the platform can be combined with the latter’s eukaryotic Pichia expression system.
“We are delighted that our Pichia pastoris platform enables the production of intein-fusion proteins at high yields and proved to be perfectly compatible with Almac’s site-specific protein modification technology,” comments Thomas Purkarthofer, Ph.D., head of business development at VTU. “This collaboration will help to further demonstrate the broad applicability of our Pichia protein production platform.”
