Improved production and purification of interferon-alpha-4a using a T7 RNA polymerase expression system.

An improved method for the synthesis and purification of human interferon-alpha-4a is presented. Interferon-alpha-4a was prepared using a T7 RNA polymerase expression system, where it was expressed from the vector pET-3a. Biologically active interferon-alpha-4a was isolated from the E. coli cells and purified using protamine sulphate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography utilising a monoclonal antibody specific for human interferons-alpha.