MedImmune and University of Sheffield in cell factory project

MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, and the University of Sheffield have entered a five-year collaboration to generate breakthrough research in cell factory technology, the process by which living cells can be controlled and manipulated to make specific proteins with therapeutic benefits. 

MedImmune is to provide funding and in-kind contributions to support University of Sheffield research projects address key challenges in cell engineering. The aim is to produce tools to ensure that manufacturing success is designed in from a much earlier stage than occurs with current screening-based strategies to improve the development and production of biologic medicines.

The collaboration will focus on harnessing expertise from both MedImmune and the University’s Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre to advance research specifically in mammalian cell factories.Researchers from MedImmune and the University will exchange research materials and and work closely as an integrated team. A joint steering committee comprised of members from both institutions will select the research projects and may choose to seek additional grant funding from other sources to generate further collaborative work. 

The partnership will transform the current manufacturing process by creating tools that could increase yield and improve predictability for engineered proteins such as bispecific antibodies and other innovative proteins that have the potential to treat a range of diseases. In addition to MedImmune scientists, experts from the University’s Centre for Genome Biology, the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, the Department of Biomedical Sciences and the Department of Engineering will participate in the partnership.