In MBI's prospectus there is the suggestion that MBI has developed technologies it believes able to produce antimicrobial peptides cost-effectively and in commercial quantities. They state, production of commercial quantities has not yet been attempted.
Recombinant DNA Manufacturing Technology
Although cationic peptides can be chemically synthesized in large quantities, this technology may not yet be
cost-effective and is limited in its ability to produce complex peptides. Micrologix has developed and patented
manufacturing technologies, using recombinant DNA techniques, which it believes have the potential to
produce antimicrobial peptides cost-effectively and in commercial quantities.
Micrologix's recombinant DNA technology is based on the isolation of the gene that codes for a desired peptide
and introducing that gene into the DNA of host bacteria cells, such as E. coli. These genetically engineered E.
coli cells are then placed in large fermenters where they multiply and grow, all the while creating billions of
copies of the selected gene. In response to a particular signal, these cells are coaxed to "turn on" or express the
gene so that the bacteria produce the desired peptide, which is then isolated and purified for use in drug
compounds.
Micrologix?s in-house team consists of experts in the field of recombinant DNA technology. These scientists
and engineers have years of biopharmaceutical industry experience and have participated in successfully
developing the core process technologies for a number of recombinant biopharmaceutical products currently on
the market. This expertise is expediting Micrologix?s development of a technology that has the potential to
address the many scientific and technological challenges of using bacterial cells to produce peptides that would,
under normal circumstances, kill their hosts.
Micrologix believes that its recombinant technology offers a commercially viable approach to the production of
complex peptides in large quantities under controlled conditions, creating highly pure peptides for clinical use
and provides the Company with a distinct competitive advantage. To date, Micrologix has achieved research-scale
recombinant DNA production of its lead compound and other antimicrobial peptides in development.
Production of commercial quantities has not yet been attempted. |
