Upscaling AAV gene therapy

Mid-March marks the start of the collaboration of Remedium Bio Inc. and Biovial Oy on an AAV gene therapy for osteoarthritis. Rheumatology and endocrinology  specialist Remedium Bio has developed RMD 1101, a treatment for osteoarthritis based on the adeno associated virus (AAV). AAV is bioengineered into a non-enveloped delivery-virus, which transports modified DNA to replace viral genetic material into cells impacted by conditions considered as difficult to treat. The finish Biovian Oy, a CDMO for biopharmaceuticals now agreed to include Remedium’s candidate in Biovian’s AAV manufacturing platform development program. Their second generation AAV platform is being built around suspension baseRd HEK293 cell line, with scalability to 200L and is utilizing chromatography for standard purification, which even enables the efficient separation of full capsids from empty ones.

The companies started the collaboration in the hope of upping the quality and efficience of the viral vector manufacturing industry. “We are extremely excited to scale production of our lead candidate RMD 1101 to support toxicology and clinical demand. Partnering with Biovian’s high-productivity viral vector manufacturing process will enable clinical supply and cost-effective production at eventual commercial scale for a disease that impacts hundreds of millions of people around the globe,” states Frank Luppino, CEO of Remedium Bio.