by Antibodies and proteins derived from recombinant DNA technology are revolutionizing the field of medicine. From treating cancer to autoimmune diseases, recombinant therapeutics are delivering life-changing benefits to patients. Let’s explore this exciting area of science in more depth.
What are Recombinant Therapeutic Proteins?
Recombinant therapeutic proteins are proteins produced through recombinant DNA technology, in which genes are transferred from one organism to another for the purpose of producing useful proteins. This technology allows mass production of human proteins that can be used as medicines. There are two main types of recombinant therapeutic proteins: antibodies and other therapeutic proteins.
Antibodies
Antibodies, also known as monoclonal antibodies, are immune system proteins that target and help eliminate foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. Researchers discovered they could produce antibodies outside the human body to target diseases. Some key therapeutic antibodies currently on the market include trastuzumab for breast cancer, adalimumab for rheumatoid arthritis, bevacizumab for various cancers, and palivizumab for respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants.
Other Therapeutic Proteins
In addition to antibodies, many other human proteins can be produced recombinantly and used to treat medical conditions. Examples include insulin for diabetes, erythropoietin for anemia, human growth hormone for growth disorders, coagulation factors for hemophilia, interferons for viral infections and cancers, enzymes for lysosomal storage disorders, and fusion proteins for various cancers and autoimmune diseases.
How are Recombinant Therapeutic Proteins Produced?
The production of recombinant therapeutic proteins follows these basic steps:
1. Isolation of Gene: The gene that encodes the desired human protein is isolated, usually from a human cell.
2. Insertion into Host Cell: The gene is inserted into a replication-competent plasmid (small DNA molecule) and introduced into a host cell, such as a bacteria or cultured mammal cell.
3. Expression and Harvesting: Under controlled conditions, the host cells are grown rapidly and instructed to express high levels of the protein. The target protein is then recovered from the host cell or its culture medium.
4. Purification: A series of purification steps are used to isolate the target protein away from other host cell proteins and components.
5. Formulation: The purified protein is prepared into a stable formulation suitable for drug delivery and administration.
This process allows for mass production of pure, safe, and potent human proteins on an industrial scale. It has revolutionized the development and accessibility of new therapeutic agents.
Benefits of Recombinant Therapeutic Proteins
Recombinant therapeutic proteins deliver numerous clinical and economic benefits compared to traditional protein drugs:
– Unlimited Supply: Genetic engineering overcomes supply limitations of proteins extracted from human/animal sources. Large quantities can be consistently produced.
– Purity: Purification techniques result in highly pure, well-defined proteins without contamination from other substances. This reduces adverse reactions.
– Tailored Properties: Properties like glycosylation pattern, formulation, dosage, and delivery method can be customized for optimal safety and efficacy.
– Cost Effectiveness: After initial investments, manufacturing costs are lower than protein extraction/purification from biological sources. This improves drug accessibility.
– New Treatments: The technology enables development of new classes of drugs like monoclonal antibodies that have improved or novel mechanisms of action. Some have revolutionized treatment for previously untreatable conditions.
Overall, recombinant therapeutic proteins represent one of the most important advances in modern medicine – greatly enhancing our understanding of disease pathology and ability to develop effective targeted treatments. They have improved millions of lives worldwide.
Future Outlook
Recombinant therapeutic protein technology continues to rapidly evolve and expand into new areas:
– Cell and Gene Therapies: Advanced delivery methods like gene therapy and CAR T-cell immunotherapies are being developed to directly modify patient cells for long-term disease treatment.
– Rare/Orphan Diseases: As production costs fall, focus is shifting to developing recombinant drugs for rare genetic diseases with small patient populations.
– Biosimilars: Expiring patents are enabling production of cheaper biosimilar versions with equal efficacy. This will further increase accessibility globally.
– Plant-based Production: Plants are being developed as green, scalable platforms to produce diverse therapeutic proteins for unmet medical needs like antimicrobials and vaccines.
As our molecular understanding of disease deepens through research and technologies become even more sophisticated, recombinant therapeutics will likely achieve previously unimagined breakthroughs. With continued innovation and development, they hold enormous promise to transform human health now and for generations to come.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
