Vista Biologicals - Protein Purification, Recombinant Protein Expression And Microcarrier Culture Services

Vista Biologicals provides research and product contract manufacturing services for the pharmaceuticals industry. We can supply highly specialized cell culture and process development operations that are customized to fit project and pilot-scale production services to both preclinical and Phase I-II clinical drug evaluation programs in a cCMP manufacturing environment.

Our activities include protein purification, stability studies, recombinant protein expression using our Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) microcarrier culture and the production and purification of monoclonal antibodies.

PHARMACEUTICAL PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

Vista Biologicals provides a host of full-spectrum process development services custom-tailored to your specific pharmaceutical needs. We work with you to design, develop and optimize each step of the process for cell culture, production, purification and assay development.

PILOT-SCALE PRODUCTION - ANIMAL CELL-DERIVED PRODUCTS

Vista Biologicals provides pilot-scale production services to both preclinical and Phase I-II clinical drug evaluation programs in a cCMP manufacturing environment. We have extensive expertise in the particular requirements of commonly used culture types, including batch, fed-batch and perfusion modes for use in insect cell culture, mammalian cell culture, hybridomas culture, microcarrier culture, and monoclonal antibodies.

BACULOVIRUS EXPRESSION VECTOR SYSTEM

The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) is widely used to express procaryotic and eucaryotic proteins due to its ease of use, high expression level, and ability to incorporate post-translational modifications.

Vista Biologicals' molecular biologists work closely with clients to clone and express full-length recombinant proteins from full-length cDNAs, EST sequence information or genomic sequences. The genes will be cloned and expressed in insect cells. We can produce milligram amounts of recombinant protein suitable for functional screening and biological testing using a purification process provided by the customer or developed in-house. Production is performed at a scale (up to 200L) appropriate to the needs of the client.

For clinical development, Vista Biologicals can provide recombinant proteins for use in Phase I and II human clinical trials. We can prepare the necessary regulatory documents for submission to the appropriate institutional authorities.

MAMMALIAN CELL CULTURE

Since the advent of recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s, mammalian cell culture has been an important means of producing proteins with the glycosylation and other post-translational modifications that bacteria simply cannot perform.

Mammalian cell culture enables the creation of cell line developments that support transfection, amplification and selection processes. We can also develop high-density perfusion cultures, scale-up and optimize the growth and productivity of the cell culture processes and achieve the clonal selection of homogeneous populations.

HYBRIDOMAS

Vista Biologicals is involved at all levels of the hybridomas process up to the immunization of the mouse and the initial fusion of the spleen cells. We perform refusion of cell lines, clonal selection of the cells, medium optimization, adaptation of the cells to serum-free media, cell banking and characterization, optimization of antibody production, scale-up, purification development and optimization, characterization of the product, preparation of reference lots, and formulation and stability studies of the purified product. We prepare material for preclinical and clinical studies in quantities ranging from a few milligrams to over 1kg.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES

Vista Biologicals performs a full range of services related to the production and purification of monoclonal antibodies and their subsequent utilization. Monoclonal Antibodies (mAb) are important reagents in biomedical research. They are used in the identification of proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Their use has led to the discovery of many molecules that control cell replication and differentiation, advancing our knowledge of the relationship between molecular structure and function.

MICROCARRIER CULTURE

At Vista Biologicals we have worked with microcarriers since our inception. We have grown large numbers of different cell types on microcarriers at scales up to 200L. We have also worked extensively with microcarrier perfusion cultures that maintain cells at very high densities for extended periods of time.