Cell-free Synthesis of Transfection-grade Plasmid DNA for Automated Processing

Daiichi Sankyo, a global pharmaceutical company focused on creating innovative pharmaceuticals, is seeking a fully cell-free, in vitro technology capable of synthesizing and amplifying plasmid DNA without relying on E. coli.

Approaches of interest

• Recombination assembly methods that reproduce highly efficient homologous recombination systems in vitro with seamless DNA ligation
• Methods capable of correctly assembling 50 or more DNA fragments at once via isothermal reaction (under 30 minutes)
• Replication cycle reaction methods that mimic the E. coli genome replication system in vitro using reconstituted proteins
• Approaches enabling amplification of long circular DNA molecules exceeding 10 kb with high accuracy surpassing traditional PCR
   

Out of scope

• Replication systems in E. coli
• Technologies costing over ten times more than conventional E. coli culture methods
• Technologies requiring dedicated equipment with initial investments exceeding 100 million yen
• Methods taking over one week per plasmid to generate
• Minicircle DNA or mRNA opportunities

Developmental stage of interest: Basic research accompanied by experimental verification. Methods must be established.

Please note: Full RFP is attached in the "More Information" section of this page. Faculty and researchers interested in applying for these opportunities based on technologies developed or disclosed at Vanderbilt must submit their proposals through the CTTC.