BIA Separations in deal to expand virus purification offering
Slovenia-based developer and manufacturer of large biomolecules, BIA Separations has reached a licensing agreement with the University of Zagreb for the commercialization of a technology used during the purification of viral vectors for gene therapy development.
Specifically, the technology regards an elution method that helps to better preserve the integrity, infectivity, and potency of viruses during immunoaffinity purification.
As explained by the company, immunoaffinity chromatography results in partial degradation of viral particles due to the low pH required for the elution. However, this method avoids degradation with the use of a concentrated solution of specifically selected amino acids and their salts.
Amino acids help maintain a neutral pH (6.0-8.0), leading to highly effective elution from immunoaffinity chromatographic, supporting intact and functional viruses for gene therapies.
A ‘one-stop-shop’ offering
The agreement will see the company add the elution method to its portfolio of services provided to biopharmaceutical R&D clients. Subsequently, research teams from both BIA Separations and the university will work collaboratively on follow-on technologies, aiming to further support the purification of viruses and viral vectors for research and clinical use.
Aleš Štrancar, CEO of BIA Separations, commented that the company aims to provide its customers with a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the manufacture of gene therapy vectors, vaccines, exosomes, DNA/RNA and other complex biopharmaceuticals.
He added that the partnership supports the plans for a fully integrated upstream and downstream processing with ‘robust’ in-process control, and noted that it is ‘one of a number’ collaborations currently in the company’s strategy.
This latest agreement follows the recent launch and expansion of the company’s set of Cornerstone services, designed to facilitate adeno-associated virus (AAV) production.
