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UC San Diego Disrupts Gene Circuit, Revolutionizes Drug Production

1/14/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers at UC San Diego have made a groundbreaking advancement in pharmaceutical production by disabling a gene circuit in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that generates lactic acid. This innovation not only boosts drug yields and cuts costs but also questions the long-held belief that lactic acid metabolism is essential for cell survival, paving the way for a revolution in biomanufacturing therapies like Herceptin and Rituximab.

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Story summary

Researchers at UC San Diego have made a groundbreaking advancement in pharmaceutical production by disabling a gene circuit in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that generates lactic acid. This innovation not only boosts drug yields and cuts costs but also questions the long-held belief that lactic acid metabolism is essential for cell survival, paving the way for a revolution in biomanufacturing therapies like Herceptin and Rituximab.