Iranian Company Produces Recombinant Drug to Strengthen Immune System
The new drug, produced based on cytokine genes, increases the body's immune resistance to diseases like cancer, HIV and Covid-19. The mechanism of this drug is such that it specifically binds to the CCR7 receptor and, while enhancing its antitumor properties, it can also predict tumorigenesis.
By increasing CD8+T cells, this product increases the ability to identify viruses and reduces the progression of viral diseases. Also, by containing the adjuvant GM-CSF, as a white blood cell growth factor, it stimulates stem cells to produce granulocytes and monocytes; an important factor in strengthening the body's immune system.
According to the company, the product enjoys unique features like producing a recombinant vaccine with antitumor and immune system-boosting properties, no toxicity even at high doses, increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs like Herceptin in cancer patients, and no common chemical side effects in drugs on the market.
The much lower production cost compared to similar foreign drugs is another advantage of this recombinant drug.
In a relevant development in October, Islamic Azad University had managed to produce and sell quality control diagnostic kits for recombinant drugs based on the international standards.
“After two years of research, development and validation, this product has been successfully sold to reputable pharmaceutical companies in Iran, and the consumption rate of this test is 80,000 reactions per year,” said Hamidreza Samadikhah, a faculty member of Islamic Azad University’s Central Tehran branch and the head of the research institute of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
He noted that given the launch of production line of this product, the research and development process will be provided for different types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts.
“The amount of host DNA contamination in recombinant protein drugs is detected with an accuracy of 10 picograms, which is based on the international standards,” Samadikhah said.
Recombinant pharmaceuticals are created by inserting genes from one species into a host species, often yeast or bacteria, where they do not naturally occur.
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