FluGen produces egg-free H1N1 virus

Madison-based FluGen Inc., an emerging leader in the development, production and delivery of influenza vaccines, announced in late October that its proprietary CHO-cell-based production system has generated novel 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine virus without the use of eggs during any step of production.

Unlike traditional vaccine production methods, FluGen’s CHO-based system does not use eggs. The company expects its cell-based, egg-free method to readily transfer to full-scale vaccine production and is in the process of developing a highly-efficient, production-scale system that will be available in the near future.

FluGen’s system would avoid the steps of egg-based production, including propagation of the virus in eggs and production of
the vaccine itself in eggs. This egg-based process, by which all influenza vaccines are now produced, can take up to six months to deliver vaccine. The worldwide shortages of seasonal and novel 2009 H1N1 vaccine, exacerbated by this year’s influenza pandemic, highlight the need for a quicker, cleaner, egg-free vaccine production method, says the company.

FluGen also says that its proprietary CHO cells have demonstrated the ability to produce novel 2009 H1N1 vaccine virus safely, cost-effectively and at yields at least as high as the highest-producing mammalian cells used for growing influenza viruses. CHO cells have been in common use in protein research, pharmaceutical discovery and pharmaceutical production for decades.

“The results of our studies demonstrate that our CHO cells are a breakthrough vaccine production method, producing high yields of vaccine virus, so that eggs are no longer necessary to produce vaccines on a large scale,” says Paul V. Radspinner, president and chief executive of FluGen. “For these reasons, we believe that our CHO-based virus production system would have circumvented the current shortage of novel 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Our production system also will be very cost effective and safe for standard seasonal vaccines as well.”

FluGen is developing additional vaccine-production technologies that will be used in conjunction with its proprietary CHO cells to further enhance its vaccine virus production capabilities.

“We look forward to discussing additional technologies we are developing for use with our CHO cells that we believe could boost production yields extraordinarily higher,” Radspinner says.

MOVERS

>> D.P. Knudten is the new creative director at Discover Mediaworks.

>> First Business Bank announced today that Mark Winter and Laurie Benson have joined its Board of Directors. Winter is vice president of Grub & Ellis|Oakbrook-Madison; Benson is a retired co-founder and former CEO of Inacom Information Services.

>> Kalahari Resorts has hired Cary Brandt as the company’s new creative director of entertainment.

>> Allen Foster has been promoted to vice president/general manager of Smart Motors in Monroe.

>> Alliant Energy Corp. has appointed Kay Pashos as vice president of regulatory affairs and deputy general counsel.

>> Robert Shimmel has joined Career Momentum Inc. in Madison as an executive coach and leadership development consultant.

>> Paul A. Jones and Jonathan M. Fritz have joined Michael Best & Friedrich’s Madison office. Jones and Fritz are working in the Venture Best and Intellectual Property Groups, focusing their practices on high impact entrepreneurial ventures, venture capital and related intellectual property matters.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

MADISON: Danisco USA Inc. has broken ground on a new $13 million expansion at its Madison facility to house a new frozen storage freezer. The addition is expected to greatly improve the company’s ability to meet the demands of its growing market — designing and manufacturing food ingredient solutions. Wisconsin’s Department of Commerce awarded Danisco $390,000 in tax credits toward the project. Danisco took over operations in Madison in May 2004. It produces enzymes, cultures and flavors for food, human health, animal nutrition and other industries. In addition to its 14 U.S. facilities, Danisco has locations in 45 countries.

>> The Ultimate Players Association, the National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate Frisbee in the United States, has announced that the 2010 UPA College Championships will take place May 28 to 31, 2010 in Madison. The event, which annually crowns the Division I men’s and women’s Ultimate national champions, will be hosted by the Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association with assistance from the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau.