Production of plasmid DNA encoding human hepatocyte growth factor for gene therapy.

pUDK-HGF, recombinant plasmid DNA encoding human HGF (hepatocyte growth factor), is a potential agent for gene therapy of ischaemic disease. Production of pUDK-HGF is essential for its clinical application. In the present paper, a large-scale manufacturing process was developed, including fermentation, cell harvest, alkaline lysis, capturing plasmid DNA with Q-Sepharose XL chromatography, size-exclusion chromatography on a Sephacryl S1000 column and refining with Source 15Q anion-exchange chromatography. The quality criteria of pUDK-HGF such as purity, concentration, homogeneity, residual RNA, chromosomal DNA, contaminated protein, endotoxin and HGF expression efficacy all were analysed and met the requirements for pharmaceutical-grade plasmid DNA.