Implementation of BacMam virus gene delivery technology in a drug discovery setting.

Membrane protein targets constitute a key segment of drug discovery portfolios and significant effort has gone into increasing the speed and efficiency of pursuing these targets. However, issues still exist in routine gene expression and stable cell-based assay development for membrane proteins, which are often multimeric or toxic to host cells. To enhance cell-based assay capabilities, modified baculovirus (BacMam virus) gene delivery technology has been successfully applied to the transient expression of target proteins in mammalian cells. Here, we review the development, full implementation and benefits of this platform-based gene expression technology in support of SAR and HTS assays across GlaxoSmithKline.