Selexis SA Presented New Data on MARtech™ at the BioProcess International, European Conference and Exhibition
Patented Technology Significantly Improves the Stability of Production Cell Lines
Geneva, Switzerland – February 21, 2006 - Selexis SA, a Swiss-based biotechnology company specializing in high yield and stable cell line development for therapeutic proteins announced new MARtech™ data from FISH analysis of CHO cell lines expressing recombinant proteins was presented today. The data which was presented during the “BioProcess International, European Conference and Exhibition” in Prague, demonstrated that, with MARtech™, transgenes are integrated in a single site on the chromosome within regions of the chromatin that have been shown to be very stable.
The data are results from an ongoing collaboration between Selexis and Dr. Danielle Martinet from the University Hospital in Lausanne under the supervision of Prof. Nicolas Mermod from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
“Contrary to traditional approaches for developing mammalian cell lines, we now know that, in contrast to DHFR, MARtech™ is not associated with chromosomal rearrangements nor chromosomal breaks,” said Igor Fisch, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Selexis. “This is a significant step forward in the development of stable, high producing mammalian cell lines. The Selexis’ approach to the development of cell lines has shown that the transgene integrates into a single site within the host cell chromosome. MARtech™ routinely results in cell clones expressing over 50 pcd of recombinant monoclonal antibodies within 8 weeks after transfection.”
“The results are an important validation of the mechanism by which Selexis’ MARtech functions. The chromosomal characterization of our cell lines by FISH shows a very simple pattern of integration which allows MARtech™ production cell lines to be easily analyzed for regulatory approval,” adds Cori Gorman, Ph.D., M.B.A., Head of Business Development. “The data further demonstrates our commitment to the biopharmaceutical industry for the development of highquality cell lines for manufacturing.”
Dr. Gorman, presented these FISH data today as part of the Cell Culture and Upstream Processing track.