Polytherics has started work on a Technology Strategy Board-funded project to produce fusion proteins using its chemical linker technologies.
The company will chemically fuse different but complementary proteins using its proprietary polyethylene glycol (PEG) linkers.
The goal of the project is to develop a way of fusing proteins that is both quicker and cheaper than producing a fusion protein using recombinant techniques, while retaining the different functions of both proteins.
This will allow for the rapid generation of fusion proteins for screening for a range of uses in a variety of industries, including as potential therapeutic products.
As Polytherics' PEGylation technologies enable the PEG to be attached to a specific site on a protein, either on the histidine residues added to facilitate its purification or at a naturally occurring disulfide, the effect of the PEG on the function of the protein can be minimised.
PEG is known to protect proteins from breakdown by proteases and thus improve their stability - a potential advantage over recombinant fusion proteins.
The project is scheduled to run for six months and the Technology Strategy Board is providing GBP104,700 to support the work.
