Date: Jan 15, 2010 Source: ARMY SBIR Success Stories (
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Current methods for producing proteins typically utilize costly and time consuming bioreactors. The Army has multiple research programs that identify and develop recombinant proteins for broad-spectrum applications in nerve agent therapeutics, vaccines, material and personnel decontamination, toxin stimulants, and chemical and biological sensors.
C-PERL and the Army's Edgewood Chemical Biological Center recognized these expanding requirements for a rapid, cost-effective means of producing hard-to-express recombinant proteins. C-PERL has developed an innovative technology to provide the requisite protein manufacturing capability and capacity to expedite the transition of basic research to the advanced development and acquisition of new products to support the Soldier.
C-PERL's patent protected Protein Manufacturing in Insect Expression (PMIE) system is completely integrated — from insect larvae production through large scale protein expression and purification - in state of the art facilities. The PMIE system is based on well-established baculovirus expression technology and a patented system for automated oral inoculation.
C-PERL's insect protein expression technology provides the capability to produce conformational correct, complex proteins/enzymes that cannot be reliably produced by other systems without a need for subsequent complex treatment procedures.
The C-PERL PMIE system has proven to provide immediate benefits for Army research and development programs by reducing manufacturing time and cost of production and increasing the availability of hard-to- to-express recombinant proteins. C-PERL has developed an innovative technology to provide the requisite protein manufacturing capability and capacity to expedite the transition of basic research to the advanced development and acquisition of new products to support the Soldier. C-PERL's patent protected Protein Manufacturing in Insect Expression (PMIE) system is completely integrated from insect larvae production through large scale protein expression and purification in state-of-the-art facilities.
The PMIE system is based on well-established baculovirus expression technology and a patented system for automated oral inoculation. C-PERL's insect protein expression technology provides the capability to produce conformational correct, complex proteins/enzymes that cannot be reliably produced by other systems without a need for subsequent complex treatment procedures.
The C-PERL PMIE system has proven to provide immediate benefits for Army research and development programs by reducing manufacturing time and cost of production and increasing the availability of hard-to produce recombinant proteins to Army scientists and also the commercial market.
Phase III Impact
C-PERL was selected for the U.S. Army Commercialization Pilot Program and received an additional $600K in SBIR funding. As a result of this work, C-PERL was awarded a multi-year contract that will total more than $1M from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to further support its Bioscavenger protein development effort.
C-PERL was also provided $692K in additional SBIR extended support funding for production and commercialization of a protein for the U.S. Military HIV Research Program, a multi-dimensional research project headed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
