Three-way collaboration to advance gene therapy
Partnership aims to increase the robustness and reduce costs for the manufacturing of AAV vectors.
Cobra Biologics is to collaborate with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), a UK-based technology innovation centre and GE Healthcare Life Sciences. The three-way partnership, funded by a £570K Innovate UK grant, aims to increase the robustness and reduce costs for the manufacturing of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, a delivery vehicle used for emerging gene therapy treatments. The gene therapy area has been developing rapidly and while only a small number of treatments have been approved for use, more than 200 clinical trials are underway.
AAV vectors are effective and versatile, but their use in clinical trials is hampered by complicated production processes. Without improvements to manufacturing approaches and better process understanding, there is the risk of gene therapies being launched commercially at prices unaffordable to healthcare payers, such as the NHS.
GE Healthcare’s Puridify fibre-based chromatography technology platform, can achieve high purification productivity of protein biopharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies. The collaboration with CPI and Cobra Biologics will help demonstrate the application of the purification platform to gene therapy, helping to provide more efficient and scalable gene therapy manufacturing and more affordable therapies.
The project will extend the advantages of GE Healthcare’s technology and develop a multistep fibre-based chromatography purification process for AAV. These viral vectors will be produced in-house by Cobra Biologics and CPI using a system developed via an ongoing Innovate UK grant. The developed fibre-based technology will then be transferred to CPI, where entire process flowsheets incorporating the technology will be run to demonstrate suitability for AAV manufacture.
Prof. Daniel Smith, Chief Scientific Officer at Cobra Biologics, said: “The scalable chromatographic purification of recombinant AAV-based viral vectors for use in gene therapy applications remains an area of intense global development, essential to support the rapidly increasing market opportunity for these innovative medicines. As such, Cobra Biologics is pleased to be collaborating with both GE Healthcare Life Sciences and CPI as part of this Innovate UK funded project. The application and implementation of the fibre-based chromatography for the purification of AAV vectors could provide a step change in the technology available, allowing for the scalable, cost-effective production of this emerging class of innovative medicines.”
Dr John Liddell, CPI Senior Scientific Advisor, said: “CPI is delighted to be working with GE Healthcare Life Sciences and Cobra Biologics on this exciting project working to help develop robust and efficient downstream processes for the rapidly developing area of gene therapy. Gene therapies have the potential to be transformative for areas of unmet clinical need and effective manufacturing processes which are the subject of this project, will be important enablers to achieving commercialisation. In addition, the project builds on a successful relationship established with Cobra Biologics through an on-going AAV project.”
Dr Oliver Hardick, Business Leader, Puridify, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, said: “We are proud to establish this collaboration with Cobra and CPI that seeks to advance technologies for the manufacture of viral vectors that are necessary for emerging gene therapies. Collaboration and bringing together expertise from different fields is critical for improving access to these promising new treatments globally.”Related News
-
News Moderna to buy OriCiro Genomics in USD $85 million deal
Pharmaceutical company Moderna acquires genomics services company OriCiro Genomics, based in Tokyo, Japan, to boost mRNA therapeutics development and manufacturing portfolio. -
News New year, new prices: at least 350 drugs in USA to see price increases in January
Drugmakers such as Pfizer, GSK, BMS, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi are planning to raise prices for at least 350 unique drugs in the United States in early January. -
Sponsored Content 2023 Pharma Trend Outlook: Innovation, Resilience, and Pharma 4.0
Download our 2023 Pharma Trends Outlook report to discover the trends set to shape the pharmaceutical landscape in the new year, with expert opinions and insight from across the pharmaceutical value chain. -
News Strategic partnership between AstraZeneca and G42 Healthcare to increase pharmaceutical manufacturing in Abu Dhabi
A comprehensive, long-term partnership agreement between AstraZeneca and G42 Healthcare is set to enhance local drug manufacturing in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and bolster pharmaceutical manufacturing innovation within the country. -
News CordenPharma joins sustainability initiative to achieve Net Zero
The CDMO has joined the environmental initiative looking to align private sector companies with those aims upheld by the Paris Agreement to reduce global warming. -
News AstraZeneca acquires Neogene in shift into cell-based cancer therapies
AstraZeneca has recently announced that it will be acquiring the biotechnology company Neogene Therapeutics as part of it’s expansion into cell-based cancer treatments.
-
News A mRNA universal flu vaccine is in early stages of development
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have developed a universal flu vaccine using nanoparticle encapsulated mRNA. -
News Biovac partnership to increase African vaccine manufacturing capabilities
South African biopharma company Biovac signs a partnership deal with the International Vaccine Institute to develop and manufacture an oral cholera vaccine for both the African and global market.
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance