Abstract
Protein drugs, or biologics, are a growing direction for the pharmaceutical industry due to their unparalleled potency and specificity. Due to their temperature sensitivity, however, storage and distribution remain challenges. Furthermore, industrial scale production of biologics is not well matched to the needs of personalized medicine. To take full advantage of the potential of biologics, new methodologies for their synthesis and purification are required to produce them when and where they are needed most – at the point of care. Cell-free protein synthesis possesses the requisite portability and versatility to meet these needs. Recent innovations that are leading to distributed production techniques, enhanced product yields, and custom modifications will enable the rapid, on-demand production of personalized medicines.
