The Use of UCOE Vectors in Combination with a Preadapted Serum Free, Suspension Cell Line Allows for Rapid Production of Large Quantities of Protein

Abstract

UCOE vectors contain non-tissue specific chromatin-opening-elements that permit rapid expression of a protein in anintegration independent manner. Efficient expression can bederived from a single copy of an integrated gene site resulting ina higher percentage of cells expressing the marker gene in theselected pool in comparison to standard non-UCOE containingvectors. This, in combination with the utilization of a serum-free, suspension adapted parent cell line allows for rapidproduction of large quantities of protein in a short period oftime. Utilizing this system more than 300 mg of a recombinantantibody has been produced in less than 1 month from transfectionpools in shake flask. Selected subclones have been scaled intosmall bioreactors in less than 2 months, producing significantquantities of monoclonal antibody using a protocol generic for theparent cell line. The increased efficiency obtained with the UCOEvector reduces the number of transfectants which need to bescreened in order to obtain high productivity subclones.Transfection of a standard host cell line, preadapted to grow in alarge-scale setting, allows for rapid cell line developmentdecreasing the transition time from research into development andmanufacturing. Alternatively, the traditional approach of using aparent cell line which requires serum-free and suspensionadaptation after transfection further increases the need forscreening a large number of subclones, because many of thesubclones will not be able to grow under conditions that allowlarge-scale protein production. The use of a preadapted cell linecan reduce the time required to develop a cell line from months toweeks.