John Barranger
Dr. Barranger received a PhD and MD from the University of Southern California. He worked with Dr. Brady at the NIH, purifying the enzyme that was to be infused into Gaucher experimental subjects. He is a professor of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh. He is involved in developing new therapies for lysosomal diseases as well as the planning and evaluation of a variety of clinical trials. In his consulting role, he evaluates testing laboratories and instructs directors and technicians on diagnostic techniques for lysosomal disorders.
Interviews:
History
My first experience with Gaucher disease.
My job: purify enzyme.
The process of purifying the enzyme.
Purification process: just like salad oil.
Time from purification to clone on the enzyme.
Took 6 years to get to a clinical trial.
First patients and successes.
People involved in the process.
Purifying enzyme in the early days using human placenta.
Making enough enzyme for 10 patients.
Needed 20 metric tons of placentas per day to make enzyme for 100 patients.
Growing CHO cells in culture vats.
Cost of upscaling the process.
