Polyplus-transfection launches FectoVIR-AAV transfection reagent for CGT development viral vector bottleneck

Strasbourg, France, April 6, 2020 – Polyplus-transfection(R) SA, the leading biotechnology company that supports the gene and cell therapy market by supplying innovative transfection solutions, today announces it will make available to the market a novel transfection reagent FectoVIR(R)-AAV in May 2020. The reagent has been specifically developed to improve AAV (adeno-associated virus) production in suspension cell culture system for large-scale manufacturing.

AAVs are predominantly used in gene therapy development. To date there has been a significant and well-identified bottleneck in manufacturing sufficient amounts of AAV viral vectors to treat patients. This will continue to increase as more therapies are commercialized, and reach late stage clinical trials. Viral manufacturers, in order to increase capabilities, are looking for solutions to adapt key steps of production for large-scale manufacturing. Transient transfection is a critical step that is indispensable for a reliable industrial manufacturing process. Polyplus-transfection has developed the FectoVIR-AAV transfection reagent to achieve large-scale transient transfection resulting in up to a 10-fold increase in AAV functional viral titer yields in suspension cell systems. 

Polyplus-transfection developed the FectoVIR-AAV transfection reagent in partnership with a range of viral manufacturers internationally. Rather than follow the industry standard model of developing a reagent for small-scale manufacturing and adapting for large-scale production, Polyplus-transfection has developed the entirely new reagent with large-scale transient transfection in mind, and then validated its use all the way through the R&D process.

The FectoVIR-AAV transfection reagent will fit within Polyplus-transfection’s transfection reagent portfolio, which is the largest in the industry for the cell and gene therapy sector. This includes the PEIpro range, with PEIpro(R)-GMP, the first transfection solution for the gene and cell therapy industry that is compliant with global cGMP viral vector manufacturing requirements. Polyplus-transfection will continue to expand its AAV reagent portfolio in line with its PEIpro range. 

“The AAV viral vector bottleneck has been persistently identified as a major challenge for the development of the entire gene therapy industry,” said Karsten Wilking, CEO, Polyplus-transfection. “It has been very important for Polyplus-transfection to maintain its leadership position in the industry by working with a range of handpicked international viral manufacturers to provide the FectoVIR-AAV reagent as a solution to the viral vector bottleneck. This will alleviate a major concern for the gene therapy sector and will result in a high number of therapies reaching the market, and most importantly patients, more quickly.”

Polyplus-transfection will hold a range of webinars to provide more details of the FectoVIR(R)-AAV product. Details can be found here:  https://polyplus-transfection.webinargeek.com/fectovir-aav-a-giant-step-for-aav-large-scale-manufacturing?cst=website