Technology
transfer under consideration due to proven equivalence with existing drugs,
converted to a new natural drug research center afterwards
On the 26th, the Biotechnology Research
Institute of Cho-A Pharm (CEO Sung-Hwan Cho and Jo-Bae Cho) announced that last
month, they published a paper entitled "Structural and Functional
Characteristics of Human Growth Hormone Isolated from Transgenic Porcine
Milk" in the online journal PLOS ONE of the U.S. Public Science Library
last month.
This paper contains the results of a study that
the Biotechnology Research Institute produced transgenic pigs expressing the
human growth hormone (hGH) gene and isolated recombinant hGH with a purity of
99% or higher from the milk. In addition, the equivalence with existing
somatropin (Genotropin, Pfizer) was proved through confirmation of the
structure and biological activity of this recombinant protein.
Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) was used
for the production of transgenic pigs, and a vector for genetic modification
was self-developed and produced, and pig beta-casein was used. The above vector
obtained patent rights in the United States and Australia in 2013.
This paper described that hGH isolated from
transgenic pig milk was compared with commercially available drugs, and that
the protein structure and efficacy were similar. The therapeutic efficacy of hGH
(somatropin) varies, such as dwarfism (adults and children), idiopathic short
stature, and Turner syndrome due to growth hormone deficiency.
In addition, they conducted an efficacy test by
subcutaneous injection into mice whose pituitary gland was removed in a
non-clinical test, and identified the effect on growth failure due to growth
hormone secretion disorder by confirming that the body weight and skeleton grow
in proportion to the dose increase. The result of a toxicity test in mice
showed that there was no toxicity even at the maximum dose.
Cho-A Pharm said that it is possible to produce
various kinds of recombinant proteins by substituting other target protein
genes using existing vectors in the established system, so they are considering
technology transfer based on the pig beta casein patent. In the future, Cho-A
Pharm's Biotechnology Research Center will change its research direction from
the cloned pig research project to a new natural product research center.
Cho-A Pharm decided to focus on the research and development of new natural drugs by hiring a new research institute head within the third quarter. Through this, they will develop raw materials for individually recognized health functional foods in the short term, while identifying major ingredients of new natural drugs and developing products that commercialize them in the long term.