Sino tech health project received support from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Jilin Province

Recently, sino-tech healthy's industrial project "Medical grade Recombinant Epidermal Growth Factor (hEGF) Production and Commercialization" in collaboration with the research institute has been supported by the Key Project of Achievement Transformation between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Jilin Province, with a project funding of 800000 yuan and a two-year execution period.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a protein peptide that can stimulate the growth of epidermal and endothelial cells, while promoting the synthesis and secretion of collagen in cells. Therefore, EGF can not only effectively promote skin wound healing, but also moisturize the skin, enhance skin elasticity, reduce skin wrinkles, and prevent skin aging.

EGF is widely present in mammals and can exert physiological effects by binding to EGF receptors on cell membranes. Research has shown that various cells, including epidermal cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells, contain hEGF receptors on their cell membranes, with epidermal cells having the highest content. After approaching the cell, EGF binds to EGF receptors on the cell membrane, promoting a series of complex biochemical cascade reactions within the cell, increasing RNA, DNA, and protein synthesis, ultimately promoting cell growth and proliferation, and accelerating cell metabolism. A trace amount of hEGF can promote the above-mentioned physiological and biochemical reactions in cells.

EGF is the most successful commercialized growth factor and has been applied in fields such as biologics, wound repair, and medical beauty. According to data analysis from market research firm QYResearch, the global epidermal growth factor market is expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2022, with a compound annual growth rate of nearly 6%. Before the 1980s, the main source of hEGF was through tissue and body fluid extraction. Due to the extremely low content of hEGF, the extraction cost was high and the product purity was low, which limited the application of hEGF. After the 1980s, with the development of genetic engineering technology, people achieved success in producing hEGF through gene recombination technology using Escherichia coli, yeast, and other bacteria, laying the foundation for industrial production of rhEGF.

This project will conduct research on the preparation process, quality control, and application of new drugs in accordance with the R&D standards. Through stepwise scaling up of 10L, 50L, and 500L, a complete set of industrial production and quality evaluation systems for recombinant human EGF will be established, aiming to increase the yield of recombinant human EGF and ensure its purity, biological activity, and biosafety meet medical standards. In addition to providing recombinant human source EGF stock solution or freeze-dried powder based biological products or medical drugs for scientific research, this project will also develop a variety of medical devices and products carrying recombinant human source EGF, such as gel, wound dressing, artificial skin, tissue repair scaffold, etc. If the relevant products of this study can enter the market of biological and medical products as soon as possible, it will fill the gap in related fields domestically or in the province, and have good social and economic benefits.

Sino-tech healthy has established GMP production workshops and 10L and 50L high-density fermentation systems.