Company Filing History:
Years Active: 2023-2025
Title: Innovations by Philippe Le Mercier
Introduction
Philippe Le Mercier is a notable inventor based in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland. He has made significant contributions to the field of biopharmaceutical manufacturing through his innovative research and patents. With a total of two patents to his name, Le Mercier's work focuses on enhancing the safety and efficiency of mammalian cell lines used in protein production.
Latest Patents
Le Mercier's latest patents include groundbreaking research on the characterization and inactivation of endogenous retroviruses in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. His work on type-C endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) embedded in CHO cells has led to modifications that alter the release of retroviral and retroviral-like particles in culture supernatants. Although the infectivity of these particles remains unproven, their presence has raised safety concerns. His research identified 173 type-C ERV sequences that clustered into functionally conserved groups. Notably, transcripts from one type-C ERV group were found to be full-length with intact open reading frames, leading to the discovery of viral RNA genomes loaded into retroviral-like particles. Le Mercier utilized CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to disrupt the gag gene of the expressed ERV group, identifying a single ERV locus responsible for the release of viral RNA-loaded particles from CHO cells. His findings demonstrated that clones with a Gag loss-of-function mutation showed a reduction of viral RNA-containing particles by over 250-fold, without compromising cell growth or recombinant protein production. This research provides a new strategy for mitigating potential contaminations from CHO endogenous retroviruses during biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Career Highlights
Throughout his career, Philippe Le Mercier has worked with prominent companies in the biotechnology sector, including Selexis S.A. and Selexis S.A. His innovative approaches have positioned him as a key figure in the development of safer and more efficient cell lines for protein manufacturing.
Collaborations
Le Mercier has collaborated with notable professionals in his field, including Pierre-Olivier Duroy and Sandra Bosshard. These collaborations have further enhanced the impact of his research and innovations.
Conclusion
Philippe Le Mercier's contributions to the field of biopharmaceutical manufacturing through his patents and research are invaluable. His innovative strategies for addressing safety concerns in protein production highlight his role as