eXmoor Pharma and Virica Biotech Partner in Canada-UK AAV Manufacturing Project

• eXmoor and Virica Biotech have launched a project, funded by the Canada-UK biomanufacturing collaboration, to improve the production of adeno-associated vectors (AAVs).

• The project will utilise Virica’s VSE technology and eXmoor’s expertise to scale AAV manufacturing, potentially reducing costs for commercial gene therapies.

eXmoor Pharma, a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) specialising in cell and gene therapy (CGT), has partnered with Virica Biotech in a project aimed at improving the manufacture of adeno-associated vectors (AAVs), a vital component of gene therapies. Funded through a joint Canada-UK biomanufacturing collaboration, the initiative seeks to enhance the production process and lower the costs associated with commercial-scale gene therapy manufacturing.

The project, supported by Innovate UK and the National Research Council of Canada, will leverage Virica’s VSE technology. These small molecules have been shown to improve AAV productivity by modulating the immune responses of HEK293 cells, which are used to grow viral vectors. eXmoor will utilise its expertise in scaling up processes to test and deploy the best-performing VSEs at commercial capacity by next year.

Angela Osborne, CEO of eXmoor Pharma, expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “We believe this project will benefit not only our work but our entire industry – and most importantly, patients.”

Jean-Simon Diallo, CEO of Virica, highlighted the broader benefits, noting that the partnership presents a commercial opportunity to increase efficiency and reduce costs for life-saving gene therapies.