Viruses are essential tools in cell and gene therapy (CGT), acting as carriers to deliver therapeutic genes into patients' cells. Tosoh Bioscience and the University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen (THM), through Prof. Dr. Michael Wolff's laboratory, are now partnering to enhance the purification of these viral vectors. Their goal is to develop continuous purification systems that will make the process more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective.
This collaboration focuses on using Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), Orf viruses, and Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) particles as model systems for developing these new purification methods. By refining these processes, the team aims to reduce the costs associated with CGT manufacturing, making these advanced therapies more accessible to patients.
Tosoh Bioscience is providing significant resources to this venture, including funding for a researcher position in Prof. Dr. Wolff’s group for the next two years. They are also supplying state-of-the-art equipment, such as the Octave™ BIO Multi-Column Chromatography (MCC) system and SkillPak™ BIO columns pre-packed with TOYOPEARL® resins. Dr. Carsten-René Arlt, an application scientist at Tosoh Bioscience, will bring his expertise in MCC and bioprocess technology to support the project.
The Octave™ BIO MCC system is designed to intensify biomolecule purification processes. Its modular design allows for flexibility and customization, accommodating up to eight columns and featuring six pumps, inlets, and outlets. The system supports a wide range of flow rates, making it suitable for different scales of operation. Integrated sensors provide comprehensive process monitoring, and advanced software ensures user-friendly control and method creation.
SkillPak™ BIO pre-packed columns complement the Octave™ BIO MCC system, offering ready-to-use solutions with TOYOPEARL® resins optimized for MCC applications. Available in various sizes, these columns provide low variability and high performance across different stages of process development and scale-up.
This partnership builds on a foundation of previous collaboration in batch downstream processing, under the guidance of Dr. Egbert Müller, Senior Scientific Advisor at Tosoh Bioscience. Prof. Dr. Wolff expressed enthusiasm about the project: "The partnership with Tosoh Bioscience represents a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries of bioprocessing technology,” he says. “Together, we aspire to develop more efficient, continuous chromatographic methods for virus and viral vector purification, greatly enhancing the economic viability of CGT manufacturing processes."
Read the full press release on the Tosoh Bioscience and THM partnership to improve viral vector purification for cell and gene therapy:
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