Overview

Scarab Genomics, an emerging CMO, has created Clean Genome® E. coli, a unique, patented set of bacterial hosts for reliable, high efficiency production of protein and nucleic acid biopharmaceuticals. All troublesome genetic elements, inlcuding IS elements and cryptic phages, and many nonessential genes, have been removed from the genome, resulting in more efficient and more reliable production. Benefits include reduced mutational damage to vectors and products, elimination of contamination of nucleic acid vaccines with IS elements, and prevention of loss of fermentation batches due to phage induction. Current licensees use these hosts for production of proteins and DNA vaccines. Clean Genome® E. coli is, unlike other hosts, capable of continuous production, which has been implemented as C-Flow™. A typical 30-day C-Flow™ process yields 4.5 kg protein per month before purification at a mere 10-liter scale, dramatically reducing infrastructure requirements for substantial production volumes. Because production is continuous, conditions can be optimized on the fly, and because volumes are small, scale-up is rapid. As a result process development is rapid, enabling quick responses to pandemics such as Covid-19 and to bioterrorism. At even 1-L scale C-Flow™ can efficiently address needs for orphan drugs and personalized medicine. Enabled by reduced genome strains, we sell research grade vaccine carrier proteins CRM197 and Protein D, and are developing continuous cGMP manufacturing of CRM197 for clinical needs. Scarab offers licensing options for research and for commercial production. Clients may license Clean Genome® strains customized for specific applications using their existing production infrastructure, or the full C-Flow™ continuous fermentation system for maximum efficiency.