Scarab Genomics announced a strategic agreement today with CellMed AG, a BTG International group company, in which CellMed AG will use Scarab Genomics' Clean Genome E. coli Technology in a new product development in the life science field.
Scarab Genomics has bioengineered its Clean Genome® E. coli host by removing over 15% of the bacteria's genome. Elimination of all prophage remnants eliminates cell lysis problems during production. Removal of recombinogenic mobile IS elements eliminates problems of genome and plasmid stability. Optimal performance with minimal salts medium and removal of hundreds of unnecessary proteins lowers production costs by increasing metabolic efficiency and focusing cellular energy on the target. Increased yield also reduces downstream processing costs. Genes for toxins, virulence factors, flagella and fimbriae have also been removed to seek to improve product purity and safety. "Simply stated, genome reduction optimizes E. coli as a biological factory in all the important production related dimensions," explained Dr. Fred Blattner, Scarab's Chief Executive Officer.