Eisai Company, Limited

Yoshikazu Hasegawa

Kentaro Yoshimatsu

Toshio Osawa

Isao Tanaka

Yukio Ohya

Toshio Seto

Yasushi Shikata

Noriaki Kuwana

Akira Hashimoto

Yukio Nozu

A recombinant natural killer cell activating factor is disclosed, preferably having a peptide of the following amino acid sequence in its molecule. The invention provides a cDNA coding for a recombinant natural killer cell activating factor, a expression plasmid involving the cDNA, a host transformed with the plasmid, an antitumor agent containing the recombinant natural killer cell activating factor and a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmacologically effective amount of the antitumor agent and a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.

Recombinant natural killer cell activator

Culture medium is circulated from a culture medium tank, through a first main duct, through a cell cultivating vessel containing therein a bundle of hollow threads, through a second main duct and back to the culture mediun tank. The first main duct is provided at an intermediate point with a vibrating columnar pump adapted to pulsate the culture medium and to vibrate outer surfaces of said hollow threads. The second main duct is provided along a tail end portion with a container serving to capture solids in the culture medium. The first main duct branches into a first sub-duct which is provided with sensors used to detect and regulate a quantity of gas mixture in the culture medium. Similarly, the second main duct branches into a second sub-duct which is provided with sensors used to detect a quantity of gas mixture in the culture medium which has been used for cell cultivation so that a level of cell metabolism occurring in the hollow threads may be detected and a flow velocity of the culture medium may be correspondingly regulated.

Cell cultivating apparatus

Novel desacyl-pepsidine and process for the preparation thereof comprising contacting N-acyl-pentapeptide with a bacterium which belongs to Bacillus pumilus. The new compounds are useful as pepsin-inhibitor and as intermediates for the preparation of N-acyl-pentapeptide homologues.

Process of preparing desacyl-pepsidine with bacillus pumilus

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Ibaraki, Japan

Yoshikazu Hasegawa