CHEMICAL DERIVATIZATION OF THERAPEUTIC PROTEINS

Despite major advances in redesigning and producing proteins through r ecombinant DNA technology, many therapeutic proteins are still produce d by extraction from biological tissues or fluids, or from nonrecombin ant microorganisms. Modification of such proteins, to improve potency and bioavailability and reduce immunogenicity, can only be carried out post-translationally by chemical-derivatization methods. Genetic- and chemical-modification methods are not mutually exclusive, however, an d may be combined to optimize protein-engineering strategies, because chemical modification can introduce structural changes that are not en coded by DNA into both recombinant, and nonrecombinant proteins.