Novel production of baker's yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, optimised for industrial-scale recombinant protein production

TechnologyVeľká BritániaTOUK20201201002
Offers
Summary: 
A UK biofoundry SME provides novel production strains of the regulatory friendly baker's yeast, optimised for industrial-scale recombinant protein production to make vaccines, therapeutic proteins and diagnostics more affordable and accessible to all who need them. Biotech partners are sought for technology platform development and testing under technical cooperation agreements, and customers with products suited to their technology platform under commercial agreements with technical assistance.
Description: 
A biofoundry SME based in the Midlands region of the UK create and own yeast synthetic biology solutions to make any recombinant protein. Their mission is to provide novel production strains of the regulatory friendly baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) optimised for industrial-scale recombinant protein production, e.g. to make vaccines, therapeutic proteins and diagnostics more affordable and accessible to all of those who need them. S. cerevisiae is already well-established for large-scale Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved biologics, and the company has a collection of around one billion yeast strains specially modified for industrial recombinant protein production. By starting with their library of yeast strains, they can quickly identify how well they can make a specific protein, and then optimise selected candidates to get the performance characteristics and quality attributes required. Using proprietary methods developed from modern genomics and synthetic biology, they can select and analyse candidate strains in weeks, not years. Genome analysis, performed using their QTL (quantitative trait loci) software, can be used to identify the beneficial genetic traits responsible for the improved performance of unique strains and generate valuable IP specifically for particular products. The company creates proprietary synthetic biology solutions for their customer's specific proteins in contrast to off-the-shelf expression strains typically tested. They are looking for partners with products for the vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutic protein markets for technology platform development and testing under technical cooperation agreements, and customers with products suited to their technology platform under commercial agreement with technical assistance. Other cooperation types may be considered if requested.
Type (e.g. company, R&D institution…), field of industry and Role of Partner Sought: 
Two types of collaboration sought: 1) Company or academic biotechnology partners operating in the the vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutic protein markets for technology platform development, e.g. for optimising or automating unit operations and strain development workflows, high throughput expression, fermentation and screening for beneficial phenotypes (such as high product yield, protease reduction and control of post-translational modifications), and other groups operating in biotechnology process development. Technical cooperation agreements are envisaged. 2) Potential customers (including beta testing customer/partners) with products suited to the company's technology platform. Commercial agreements with technical assistance are expected but other types of cooperation may be considered on a case by case basis.
Stage of Development: 
Project already started
Comments Regarding Stage of Development: 
The technology is already well-established for intracellular protein expression and is being developed for secreted protein secretion.
IPR Status: 
Trade Marks
Comments Regarding IPR Status: 
The company name logo has been trademarked and they are in the process of trademarking their services offerings. Partners/customers can license strains exclusively for their own use, or the company can identify IP specific to their own processes.
External code: 
TOUK20201201002