Voyager, MassBiologics Partner On Viral Vector Manufacturing
By Cyndi Root
Voyager Therapeutics and MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) have partnered on recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector products. The companies announced the collaboration in a press release, stating that they will work on scalable processes for rAAV vectors using current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). Steven Paul, M.D., CEO of Voyager Therapeutics, said, “High quality, scalable production is vital for the long-term success of Voyager’s rAAV therapeutic programs for patients, and it is a privilege to work with the leading biologics experts at MassBiologics.”
Voyager and MassBiologics Agreement
The new MassBiologics SouthCoast Vector Manufacturing Center in Fall River, MA is the site for Voyager and MassBiologic activities. The partners intend to utilize Voyager’s rAAV production technology platform and MassBiologic’s manufacturing expertise in their collaborative effort. Scientists will develop Voyager’s baculovirus/Sf9 process and use a process invented by Robert Kotin, Ph.D., Voyager’s VP of production, to produce high quality rAAV vectors. The collaborators did not disclose financial terms of the deal. Dr. Kotin commented, “This unique collaboration enables Voyager to work closely with MassBiologics personnel, reducing the time required to transfer methods, set-up manufacturing, and release product for clinical use.”
rAAV Vectors
Recombinant viral vectors like rAAV are a new generation of medicines. They deliver a gene into the body so the person’s own body turns the desired treatment on or off. The process has few drawbacks and is non-pathogenic. Unlike adenoviruses, the patient will not have an immune response and therefore, it will not remove the cells that have been treated. Muscle and eye diseases show the most promise for treatment.
Manufacturing rAAV Vectors
Investigators are increasingly using rAAV vectors for preclinical studies and human clinical trials. Manufacturers are keeping up with the demand and improving purification and production processes. To produce larger vector batches, manufacturers have several methods to choose from, each with advantages and disadvantages as well as regulatory guidelines. In a recent paper titled, “Production and purification of recombinant adeno-associated vectors,” published in Methods of Molecular Biology journal, authors describe several methods for producing virus vectors. Voyager and MassBiologics have partnered to discover their own manufacturing method and add to the body of knowledge for this new medicine.