- VectorBuilder and Lir Therapeutics have entered a strategic collaboration to develop AAV capsids designed for biological performance, manufacturability and scalability.
- The companies will combine VectorBuilder’s DeepCap platform with Lir’s AI-powered nAAVigator platform to optimize selected capsids from design through manufacturing assessment.
VectorBuilder and Lir Therapeutics have entered a strategic collaboration to develop adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids that address both biological performance and manufacturing requirements for gene therapy development. The companies will combine VectorBuilder’s expertise in AAV discovery, capsid engineering, process development and GMP manufacturing with Lir’s nAAVigator artificial intelligence platform.
Under the collaboration, Lir will use its AI-powered nAAVigator platform and laboratory optimization workflow to enhance selected capsids discovered through VectorBuilder’s DeepCap platform. Rather than developing entirely new vectors, the companies will optimize capsids that have already demonstrated biological potential, with a focus on improving manufacturability while maintaining or enhancing therapeutic performance.
The collaboration will evaluate capsids for manufacturing productivity and process robustness, full capsid yield and product quality, therapeutic dose requirements, tissue specificity, off-target delivery and immune recognition. The companies will use computational protein engineering, experimental validation and manufacturing assessment to evaluate the capsids across multiple performance parameters.
The partners will initially evaluate multiple lead capsids across selected therapeutic applications. The resulting data will support further optimization of VectorBuilder’s capsid portfolio and potential therapeutic partnerships.
The companies said the collaboration is intended to address manufacturability earlier in the AAV development process by considering biological performance, manufacturing and clinical translation together.
