Mainlining at Chambers St.

[SFJoe]

originally posted by MLipton:

More to the point, I don't see how production could possibly be ramped up to combat the coming pandemic. As it is, vaccine production is in a footrace with the virus and that's a known technology with an established infrastructure.

Mark Lipton

Oh, that's totally out of the question with any current technology for mAbs. I suppose some kind of single chain thing in E. coli might be scalable fast, but ramping up a DHFR cell line is 12-18 months.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by SFJoe:

originally posted by MLipton:

More to the point, I don't see how production could possibly be ramped up to combat the coming pandemic. As it is, vaccine production is in a footrace with the virus and that's a known technology with an established infrastructure.

Mark Lipton

Oh, that's totally out of the question with any current technology for mAbs.

That you know about.

 

[SFJoe]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by SFJoe:

originally posted by MLipton:

More to the point, I don't see how production could possibly be ramped up to combat the coming pandemic. As it is, vaccine production is in a footrace with the virus and that's a known technology with an established infrastructure.

Mark Lipton

Oh, that's totally out of the question with any current technology for mAbs.

That you know about.

Right.

If you've got a way to produce fully human, glycosylated, 150 kd mAbs in time for next month at a reasonable cost, please dish.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by SFJoe:

Oh, that's totally out of the question with any current technology for mAbs. I suppose some kind of single chain thing in E. coli might be scalable fast, but ramping up a DHFR cell line is 12-18 months.

Well, Genentech must have the production facility since they make Herceptin, but I have no idea how long it would take to adapt another mAb to that facility.

Mark Lipton

 

[SFJoe]

Getting stable production of high levels of protein is slow. Gene amplifications, adaptation to growth in suspension culture, yadda yadda.

It usually takes 18 months to go from an expression construct to a cell line producing material for clinical trials.

Unless you are the VLM and have magical powers.

Or a whole bunch of promising but unproven technologies that the FDA can noodle on while you wait.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by SFJoe:
There is definitely cross-reactivity between different flu strains.

I think it is more than cross-reactivity. It seems to be some honest to god broad neutralization.

But we're definitely at the limit of what I know.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by SFJoe:
Getting stable production of high levels of protein is slow. Gene amplifications, adaptation to growth in suspension culture, yadda yadda.

It usually takes 18 months to go from an expression construct to a cell line producing material for clinical trials.

Unless you are the VLM and have magical powers.

I'm pretty sure our timeline would be quite a bit shorter. Lemme check.

 

[SFJoe]

As you see here.

 

 

 

[Dan McQ]

Yay college!

 

[VLM]

originally posted by Dan McQ:
Yay college!

Already working its way through the Duke undergrad population. Football team got quarantined.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Dan McQ:
Yay college!

Already working its way through the Duke undergrad population. Football team got quarantined.

45 confirmed cases here so far, and 23 in our son's school district. And it seems like almost all news flu cases are H1N1. Is there even going to be a seasonal strain this year?

Mark Lipton

 

[Dan McQ]

Probably not (at least in terms of numbers).

 

[SFJoe]

What Dan said.

Of course, anyone who speaks with great confidence of the future of the flu immediately loses credibility, or should.

But Mark, the epidemiological advantage of the new flu seems very large--it's not facing much herd immunity at all.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by SFJoe:
What Dan said.

Of course, anyone who speaks with great confidence of the future of the flu immediately loses credibility, or should.

But Mark, the epidemiological advantage of the new flu seems very large--it's not facing much herd immunity at all.

I'm gonna start a facebook fan club for the new flu. Yay, new flu!!!!

 

[Dan McQ]

You're late to that party:

A H1N1 Swine Flu 2009