ERA Biotech

ERA Biotech was a Spanish biotechnology company that developed a proprietary platform for the high-yield production and purification of recombinant proteins. The company's core technology, known as Z-era, utilized a specific proline-rich domain to induce the formation of Protein Bodies within various expression systems, including plants and fungi. These Protein Bodies allowed for the sequestration and stabilization of target proteins, significantly simplifying downstream processing and reducing manufacturing costs. ERA Biotech applied this technology to the development of vaccines and therapeutic proteins for both human and animal health. In 2013, the company was acquired by the Canadian biopharmaceutical firm Medicago to integrate the Z-era platform into Medicago's plant-based vaccine production pipeline.