People in the Foreground
Our research goals are oriented towards the people for whom we strive to attain these.
For example, we would like to explain what our research work and corresponding goals are for the hereditary disease hemophilia – also called the “blood disease.”
Those afflicted by hemophilia – usually men – suffer all their lives long from blood clotting problems, because the activity of the blood clotting factor VIII or IX is reduced or may even be totally absent. The consequence of this is that blood clots are formed very slowly, if at all, and it is very difficult to stop bleeding.
The Situation Today
The classical treatment approach has been substitution therapy with coagulating factors obtained from donor blood. In the past, those afflicted were exposed to a high risk of infection. And in the 1970s and 80s, blood donations were often not examined sufficiently for their level of infectiousness. Many cases of HIV or hepatitis C-infected hemophiliacs were the result. Today, this risk can be averted through careful donor selection and cost-intensive virus-deactivation procedures, but the danger of infection through viruses and pathogens yet to be discovered still remains.
Another problem is the unbalanced relationship between the demand and offer for human plasma. Only about one out of every five hemophilia patients can be treated through substitution therapy.
The Situation Tomorrow
The goals of our research include a better supply of vital coagulating factors to hemophilia patients.
The products available on the market to date, derived from hamster cells, are far less compatible for patients; allergies have been reported. The use of human cell lines and the resulting proteins with identical characteristics is the logical outcome of these discoveries.
In order to obtain an increased quality of life for the patients, we work on extending the half-life of the proteins and/or medicines which must also be used less often and with a stable effect. This directly influences the patients’ quality of life. For example, children must receive preventative injections less often in order to follow activities typical for their age.
A recombined coagulating factor VIII developed by Octapharma Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, based on human cells, is right in front of the clinical phase II.
Through targeted quality and quantity increases of the recombinant proteins, the development of recombinant therapy will continue to advance in terms of the effect and half-life.
To these ends, we use our specialized knowledge and the latest technology.
The goals of our research include a better supply of vital coagulating factors to hemophilia patients.
The products available on the market to date, derived from hamster cells, are far less compatible for patients; allergies have been reported. The use of human cell lines and the resulting proteins with identical characteristics is the logical outcome of these discoveries.
In order to obtain an increased quality of life for the patients, we work on extending the half-life of the proteins and/or medicines which must also be used less often and with a stable effect. This directly influences the patients’ quality of life. For example, children must receive preventative injections less often in order to follow activities typical for their age.
A recombined coagulating factor VIII developed by Octapharma Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, based on human cells, is right in front of the clinical phase II.
Through targeted quality and quantity increases of the recombinant proteins, the development of recombinant therapy will continue to advance in terms of the effect and half-life.
To these ends, we use our specialized knowledge and the latest technology.