Sufficient quantity for effective treatment |
|---|
Interferon (IFN) gamma in immunology and oncology
Interferon (IFN) gamma is produced by cells of the immune system in response to antigenic stimuli; it is a protein with antiviral, antiproliferative and immuno-modulatory properties. Boehringer Ingelheim in collaboration with Genentech, Inc. developed a recombinant production process expressing the gene for human IFN gamma in a special Escherichia coli strain. The recombinant human IFN gamma is essentially identical to that occurring in the human immune system, except for a lack of N-glycosylation. Its unlimited supply and absence of risk for viral contamination has boosted research into therapeutic applications. Recombinant IFN gamma is currently approved for treatment of patients with chronic granulomatous disease and severe, malignant osteopetrosis (excessive bone development).