Flavokawain C Targets Mutant IDH1 in Research Supported by HiActi™ Cyt

Researchers at the Medical Experimental Center of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences identified Flavokawain C (Flc) as a covalent inhibitor of mutant IDH1 (mIDH1). Led by Hongjun Yang and Peng Chen, the team developed CC-Chip, a screening platform that combines protein microarrays with bioorthogonal click chemistry. They used differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) to prescreen extracts from 110 medicinal plants.

Flc binds covalently to Cys269 in mIDH1, reducing production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG). It also restores cGAS–STING signaling and strengthens CD8+ T cell antitumor activity, suppressing mIDH1-driven tumors. Combining Flc with an anti-PD-1 antibody further improved antitumor activity. The findings appeared in iMeta in 2026 under the title “Construction of a clickable probe-based protein chip platform for discovering covalent mIDH1 inhibitors from natural medicinal extracts.”

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/imt2.70107

Supporting Drug Discovery with Reliable Cell Culture and T Cell Assays

Mycoplasma Screening Helps Protect Cell Culture Quality

The team performed cell quality control on TS603, Hepa1-6-luc, BV2, HEK293T, HT1080, ADSC, and HUVEC cultures. Routine screening with the YEASEN PCR Mycoplasma Detection Kit (40614ES) helped prevent mycoplasma contamination from affecting protein screening, metabolite measurements, and immune function assays.

Isolating and Expanding CD8+ T Cells for Functional Testing

To evaluate the effect of Flc on CD8+ T cell antitumor activity, the researchers first enriched CD8+ T cells from C57BL/6 mouse spleen cells using the YEASEN Mouse CD8+ T Cell Isolation Kit (37661ES). Recombinant Mouse IL-2 (90142ES) and CD3/CD28 magnetic beads supported activation and expansion in vitro. The cells were cultured for 7 days, with half of the medium replaced every 2 days and IL-2 replenished to a final concentration of 500 U/mL. The activated effector T cells were then used in tumor cell co-culture cytotoxicity assays. HiActi™ Mouse IL-2 Combines High Activity with Consistent Quality

YEASEN HiActi™ cytokines combine high activity, purity, and stability with low endotoxin levels. Stringent quality control and cell-based functional testing help ensure consistent performance and reliable experimental results. The product line draws on YEASEN’s experience in cytokine research and manufacturing.

Mouse IL-2 purity exceeds 95% by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions.

GMP-Grade Recombinant Proteins for Cell Therapy Development

YEASEN offers GMP-grade recombinant proteins to support cell therapy drug development. Comprehensive quality testing evaluates purity, activity, safety, and consistency.

Product Features That Support Cell Therapy Workflows

High Purity

Purity above 95% helps reduce the risk of immune responses associated with residual host cell proteins or DNA.

Low Endotoxin

Endotoxin levels below 10 EU/mg help reduce the risk of fever or inflammation.

Support for Regulatory Submissions

The products meet regulatory requirements for cell therapy materials and support investigational new drug (IND) submissions.

Animal Origin Free

Animal origin-free production helps protect against animal viruses, pathogenic substances, and adventitious-agent contamination.

Manufacturing and Quality Control Standards

GMP-grade protein production and quality control follow these pharmacopoeial requirements:

• Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020 edition, Part III: general requirements for quality control of raw materials and excipients used in biologics manufacturing.

• USP General Chapter <92>, Growth Factors and Cytokines Used in Cell Therapy Manufacturing.

• Ph. Eur. General Chapter 5.2.12, Raw Materials of Biological Origin for the Production of Cell-based and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products.

Quality Systems and Audit Support

• Manufacturing, testing, and release under an ISO 13485:2016-certified quality management system support batch consistency and material traceability.

• Each batch includes a certificate of analysis (COA).

• Materials and the production environment are animal origin free.

• Production takes place in facilities for pharmaceutical raw materials and excipients.

• Remote and on-site audits are supported.

Safety Testing and Acceptance Criteria

Test	Acceptance criterion
Endotoxin	<10 EU/mg
Residual host DNA	<20 ng/mg
Residual host proteins	<0.5 ng/µg
Sterility	Negative
Mycoplasma	Negative
Adventitious viruses	Negative

Explore the GMP-Grade Recombinant Protein Portfolio

The portfolio continues to expand as new products are developed.

Cat. No.	Product name	Expression system
91341ES	Recombinant Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor, GMP Grade (Liquid)	E. coli
91360ES	Recombinant Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor, GMP Grade (Lyophilized)	E. coli
91224ES	Recombinant Human IFN-γ, GMP Grade	E. coli
90271ES	Recombinant Human IL-1α, GMP Grade	E. coli
90269ES	Recombinant Human IL-1β, GMP Grade	E. coli
90212ES	Recombinant Human IL-3, GMP Grade	E. coli
90211ES	Recombinant Human IL-6, GMP Grade	E. coli
90372ES	Recombinant Human IL-9, GMP Grade	CHO
90276ES	Recombinant Human IL-18, GMP Grade	E. coli
90637ES	Recombinant Human TNF-α, GMP Grade	E. coli
92358ES	Recombinant Human Flt-3 Ligand, GMP Grade	CHO
91120ES	Recombinant Human Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor, GMP Grade	E. coli
91521ES	Recombinant Human VEGF-165, GMP Grade	CHO
92368ES	Recombinant Human Thrombopoietin, GMP Grade	CHO