The University of Lausanne is offering this technology for licensing or for collaboration. The technology is a new system allowing more efficient gene expression in mammalian cells.

Development Phase :
Reduced to practice

Patent Status :
A provisional patent application has been filed on January 2001. Patent pending.

Patent Attorney :
Mintz & Levin, Boston, USA

Novelty and Benefits :
- A 10-fold improved productivity in terms of immunoglobulin secretion by cultured CHO cells

- Long term regulation and efficient expression of a therapeutic transgene in a cell line used for ex vivo gene therapy

- Applicable to any sort of protein and to any sort of mammalian cells into which recombinant DNA is introduced

Additional information is available upon request.

Contact :

Marjory Hunt, PhD
tel: +41-21-314-4958
fax: +41-21-314-4957

Pactt

Office of Technology Transfer
University of Lausanne and University Hospitals
21, Rue du Bugnon
Ch-1005 Lausanne
e-mail: marjory.hunt@hospvd.ch

Stable Cell Lines for Production or Regulated Expression

(Ref. Number IDF 3.01)

The Technology :
Protein synthesis by genetically engineered cells forms the basis of many R&D and processes in biotechnology and gene therapy. However, in transfected mammalian cells, it is usually limited by repressive effects that depend on the landing site of the transgene into the chromosome. This leads to suboptimal protein production and to lengthy procedures to identify proper genetic constructs and cell lines in vitro, and to improper transgene regulation and expression in gene therapy.

We propose a new way of using genetic insulator elements to limit gene silencing and to generate more consistent and more efficient gene expression from cell to cell. Our method shows a 10-fold improved productivity in terms of immunoglobulin secretion by cultured CHO cells, it allows long term regulation and efficient expression of a therapeutic transgene in a cell line used for ex vivo gene therapy and is applicable to any sort of protein and to any sort of mammalian cells into which recombinant DNA is introduced.

A legal expertise indicated that this technology is not currently covered by published patents.

Applications :

- Production of proteins using genetically engineered mammalian cells

- For research and development related to gene therapy (ex vivo or in vivo)

- Development and commercialisation of reagents for research on gene expression and regulation in mammalian cells