Gene Delivery From Granular Scaffolds for Tunable Biologics Manufacturing

Small. 2024 Aug;20(31):e2309911. doi: 10.1002/smll.202309911. Epub 2024 Mar 11.

Abstract

The understanding of the molecular basis for disease has generated a myriad of therapeutic biologics, including therapeutic proteins, antibodies, and viruses. However, the promise that biologics can resolve currently incurable diseases hinges in their manufacturability. These therapeutics require that their genetic material be introduced to mammalian cells such that the cell machinery can manufacture the biological components. These are then purified, validated, and packaged. Most manufacturing uses batch processes that collect the biologic a few days following genetic modification, due to toxicity or difficulty in separating product from cells in a continuous operation, limiting the amount of biologic that can be produced and resulting in yearlong backlogs. Here, a scaffold-based approach for continuous biologic manufacturing is presented, with sustained production of active antibodies and viruses for 30 days. The use of scaffold-based biologic production enabled perfusion-based bioreactors to be used, which can be incorporated into a fully continuous process.

Keywords: AAV; antibody; hydrogel; manufacturing; transfection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Products* / chemistry
  • Bioreactors
  • CHO Cells
  • Cricetulus
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Humans
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry

Substances

  • Biological Products