NextPep overcomes
many of the limitations of chemical synthesis
Cost Efficiency
Peptide production by chemical synthesis involves the sequential reaction
of amino acids to a growing peptide chain. However, each reaction is less
than 100% efficient. As a result, the overall efficiency of chemical synthesis
drops off dramatically above about 20 residues, driving huge increases in
cost. In contrast, NextPep is a recombinant method. The peptide is cloned
as a C-terminal extension of a small, stable carrier protein and is expressed
to high concentrations in bacteria. After an initial purification the product
is liberated by a highly active and precise enzyme, followed by a final purification.
Using this method long peptides cost no more than short ones, giving you a
substantial cost advantage.
Purity
Another consequence of chemical synthesis is the accumulation of contaminating
peptides that are very closely related to the desired product. As
a result, purification of the product is difficult and adds substantially
to the cost. NextPep avoids this problem altogether. Furthermore, purification
from bacterial lysate is simplified by an affinity tag on the carrier protein.
After liberation of the product, the final purification usually involves a
single chromatographic step for a final purity of >95%.
Scale Up
For clients with an eye to the future, issues with scale up are essential
to consider now. Industrial scale chemical synthesis requires expensive, custom
equipment. In contrast, NextPep uses standard fermentation and chromatography
equipment found in any contract manufacturing facility.
News
Dec 2009: APC Biotech launches their new website.
Oct 2009: APC Biotech selected for participation in the NIH Commercialization
Assistance Program.
July 2009: APC Biotech recieves a phase II SBIR grant from the NIH.
