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Protein production

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Mammalian recombinant protein production​

From simplest of human IgG’s to afucosylated bispecific antibodies up to recombinant growth factors — we have produced them all!

Icosagen provides custom recombinant protein production services, using proprietary mammalian cell-based QMCF Technology with animal-free components.

Services_icosagen_Mammalian-Recombinant-Protein-Production

Why choose QMCF technology for protein production?

SCALABLE
PRODUCTION

WELL ESTABLISHED

Production volumes from 96-well plates to 100-liter scale.

FLEXIBLE
PURIFICATION

FLEXIBLE PURIFICATION

Capabilities to purify proteins without affinity tags in addition to normal affinity-based purifications.

NO TARGET
IS TOO
DIFFICULT

NO TARGET IS TOO DIFFICULT

From recombinant growth factor to afucosylated bispecific antibody – we have succesfully produced them all!

NATIVE
LIKE
PROTEINS

MAMMALIAN PTM PATTERNS

Use of CHO and HEK293 cells provide native-like post translational modifications necessary for biological functionality.

OUTSTANDING
SUPPORT

OUTSTANDING SUPPORT

We have an experienced and dedicated team of PhD level project managers and scientists with can-do spirit. We are quick to respond to your questions to offer the best service and support available.

GUARANTEED
QUALITY

LONG TRACK RECORD

More than 1500 proteins produced and purified annually. Wide array of modern analytical methods used throughout the production process to guarantee consistent high quality.
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Different proteins produced and purified in 2023

Transient protein production with QMCF Technology

Our QMCF Technology is a fast and reliable transient mammalian expression system for recombinant protein production with high yields up to 1g/L.

QMCF utilizes genetic modifications that increase the expression vector copy-number while ensuring their even distribution during cell division, guaranteeing stable expression levels.

Produced recombinant proteins are suitable for various types of pre-clinical research from structural biology to drug discovery as well as for commercial diagnostic assays.

Mammalian recombinant protein production​

QMCF Protein production workflow

Mammalian recombinant protein production​

Production volumes range from 96-well plate to 50-litre scale. A wide array of current analytical methods and equipment used throughout the production process ensures consistent highest quality. 

A variety of protein purification capabilities are established, ranging form affinity-based purifications to tagless proteins. 

Lauri Peil

For inquiries about protein production,
please contact Lauri Peil, Ph.D.

Bispecific antibody production service

We produce and purify bispecific and multispecific antibodies, and similar antibody-like molecules for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. We can start from in-house discovery project to identify target candidates, by employing in vivo and in vitro antibody discovery platforms. As a more straightforward approach, we can produce and purify antibodies based on electronic sequences provided by our clients.

Utilizing different custom-tailored protein purification methods, we adapt purification schemes for each molecule. Coupled with thorough panel of analytics, detailed insights into each molecule will be provided, supporting informed decision-making during every stage of the project.  

Mammalian recombinant protein production​

Why choose Icosagen for bispecific antibody production?

TAILOR-MADE
PURIFICATION
SCHEMES

TAILOR-MADE PURIFICATION SCHEMES

The challenge in purifying bispecifics and multispecifics arises from the potential size and charge similarity between correctly and incorrectly assembled molecules (hetero- and homodimers), complicating their separation. To overcome this issue, we employ multi-step purification protocols, customized for each molecule based on its properties, ranging from step-wise affinity elution to ion exchange and mixed-mode chromatography.

STRONG
ANALYTICAL
CAPABILITIES

STRONG ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES

Purifying the molecule is one task, ensuring its final quality attributes poses another challenge. With robust and thorough analytical methods like cGE, HPLC, mass spectrometry, cell based assay, SPR and BLI to name a few, we always ensure the final product meets set expectations. First set of analyses is performed already after initial capture step, to better guide full purification workflows.

DEEP EXPERTISE
IS PROTEIN
PRODUTION

DEEP EXPERTISE IN PROTEIN PRODUCTION

Over 3000 proteins produced annually, including bispecifics (KIH, Duobody etc), multispecifics (cytokine fusions etc), nanobodies, and various antibody fragments (scFv, Fab, F(ab’)2 etc), utilizing our patented transient expression QMCF technology.

CUSTOMIZED
DISCOVERY
SCHEMES

CUSTOMIZED DICOVERY SCHEMES

We can combine complementary antibody discovery platforms such as phage display with hyperimmune or naïve libraries, or B-cell cloning via HybriFree, or use fully synthetic phage display library for the discovery of unique panel of binders that can later be engineered into various bispecific and multispecific antibody formats.

ONE-STOP-SHOP
FOR BISPECIFICS

ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR BISPECIFICS

From antigen design and production to immunization, followed by discovery, engineering, optimization, production, and purification, we always deliver!

Typical workflow for bispecific and multispecific antibody production

Services_icosagen_workflow_Bi

We have produced all of these!

Mammalian recombinant protein production​

With our technology, VLPs can be produced in HEK293-based QMCF
cell lines and purified by precipitation and/or density gradient fractionation.

Virus-Like Particles for Membrane Protein Expression

Transmembrane proteins, such as GPCRs, ion channels, and transporters are notoriously difficult to purify since they require the cell membrane lipid bilayer to maintain their native, active 3D-fold. The discovery of antibodies against such transmembrane proteins proved therefore very difficult in the past. GPCRs for example, are the largest class of cell-surface proteins that are targeted by almost 40% of all marketed drugs, but these are all small molecule drugs.


Icosagen has overcome this challenge by developing a proprietary pseudotyped VLP technology platform to conduct antibody discovery projects in-house on transmembrane proteins. We can produce transmembrane proteins in the context of virus-like particles (VLPs), using our QMCF mammalian expression platform. The co-expression of a viral envelope or capsid protein together with the transmembrane protein results in the self-assembly of pseudotyped VLPs, which are enriched with the membrane protein of interest. These pseudotyped VLPs serve for immunization and are frequently used in antibody screening, vaccine development, and receptor function studies.

Mammalian recombinant protein production​

FUNCTIONAL &
ACTIVE FORM
TARGET

FUNCTIONAL AND ACTIVE FORM

Functional and active display of integral membrane proteins on VLP surface provides unique approach for antibody-drugging hard-to-express membrane proteins.

FAST
AND
EFFICIENT

FAST AND EFFICIENT

Production of GPCRs, ion channels, transporters, viral glycoproteins etc.

HUMAN-
SPECIFIC
PTM

HUMAN-SPECIFIC POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATIONS

Using HEK293-based expression cell line.

ADCC Potency Enhancement via Afucosylation

Icosagen has a long-standing partnership with ProBioGen to use its GlymaxX® technology for generating fully afucosylated and therefore ADCC-enhanced antibodies. We offer rapid, multi-parallel, transiently produced ADCC-enhanced mAbs to assess cell-killing potency enhancement effects on any antibody.

GlymaxX®  is universally applicable, guarantees over 95% afucosylation and can be rapidly applied into existing production cell lines or to  new antibody development projects. Production timelines and final yields are identical for both regular and afucosylated antibodies.

Therapeutic antibodies with low fucose content have shown 10-100 fold higher antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and thus drastically higher target cell killing potency. The degree of afucosylation levels can even be adjusted, hence the cell killing potency as well.

 

Mammalian recombinant protein production​

FAST AND
EASILY
APPLICABLE

FAST AND EASILY APPLICABLE

GlymaxX® is easily applicable to new and existing mAb clones. Production timelines remain constant.

CONSISTENT
PRODUCTION

PROVEN BATCH-TO-BATCH CONSISTENCY

Over 95% guaranteed mAb-afucosylation, every time. Re-addition of fucose to the medium allows gradually dialling back the degree of afucosylation levels to reduce and adjust potency.

POTENCY
INCREASE
STUDIES

POTENCY INCREASE STUDIES

Apply GlymaxX® and compare your mAb candidates potencies' in our in-house ADCC assays.
Antibody
discovery
Antibody
development
Cell line
development
Analytics

Our locations

United States Office

77 Geary St. 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
+1 415 548 6625

European Office

Eerika tee 1
Õssu, Kambja vald
Tartu maakond 61713
Estonia
+372 737 7070
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