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Coplan L, Zhang Z, Ragone N, Reeves J, Rodriguez A, Shevade A, Bak H, Tustian AD. High-yield recombinant adeno-associated viral vector production by multivariate optimization of bioprocess and transfection conditions. Biotechnol Prog 2024; 40:e3445. [PMID: 38450973 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs) are one of the most used vehicles for gene therapy, with five rAAV therapeutics commercially approved by the FDA. To improve product yield, we optimized the suspension production process of rAAV8 vectors carrying a proprietary transgene using a commercially available transfection reagent, FectoVIR-AAV. Using a miniaturized automated 250 mL scale bioreactor system, we generated models of vector genome (vg) titer, capsid (cp) titer, and Vg:Cp percentage from two multivariate design of experiment studies, one centered around bioreactor operating parameters, and another based on the transfection conditions. Using the optimized process returned from these models, the vector genome titer from the bioreactor was improved to beyond 1 × 1012 vg/mL. Five critical parameters were identified that had large effects on the pre-purification vector quantity-the transfection pH, production pH, complexation time, viable cell density at transfection, and transfection reagent to DNA ratio. The optimized process was further assessed for its performance extending to six AAV serotypes, namely AAV1, AAV2, AAV5, AAV6, AAV8, and AAV9 carrying a transgene encoding for green fluorescent protein (GFP). Five of the six serotypes returned higher vector genome titers than the control condition. These data suggest that the choice of transfection reagent is a major factor in improving vector yield. The multivariate design of experiment approach is a powerful way to optimize production processes, and the optimized process from one AAV vector can to some extent be generalized to other serotypes and transgenes to accelerate development timelines of new programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Coplan
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
| | - Nicole Ragone
- Research Operations, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
| | - John Reeves
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
| | - Audrey Rodriguez
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
| | - Aishwarya Shevade
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
| | - Hanne Bak
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
| | - Andrew D Tustian
- Preclinical Manufacturing and Process Development, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, New York, USA
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2
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Chen K, Ernst P, Kim S, Si Y, Varadkar T, Ringel MD, Liu X“M, Zhou L. An Innovative Mitochondrial-targeted Gene Therapy for Cancer Treatment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.24.584499. [PMID: 38585739 PMCID: PMC10996521 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.24.584499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Targeting cancer cell mitochondria holds great therapeutic promise, yet current strategies to specifically and effectively destroy cancer mitochondria in vivo are limited. Here, we introduce mLumiOpto, an innovative mitochondrial-targeted luminoptogenetics gene therapy designed to directly disrupt the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) potential and induce cancer cell death. We synthesize a blue light-gated channelrhodopsin (CoChR) in the IMM and co-express a blue bioluminescence-emitting Nanoluciferase (NLuc) in the cytosol of the same cells. The mLumiOpto genes are selectively delivered to cancer cells in vivo by using adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying a cancer-specific promoter or cancer-targeted monoclonal antibody-tagged exosome-associated AAV. Induction with NLuc luciferin elicits robust endogenous bioluminescence, which activates mitochondrial CoChR, triggering cancer cell IMM permeability disruption, mitochondrial damage, and subsequent cell death. Importantly, mLumiOpto demonstrates remarkable efficacy in reducing tumor burden and killing tumor cells in glioblastoma or triple-negative breast cancer xenografted mouse models. These findings establish mLumiOpto as a novel and promising therapeutic strategy by targeting cancer cell mitochondria in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Patrick Ernst
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Seulhee Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Yingnan Si
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Tanvi Varadkar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew D. Ringel
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiaoguang “Margaret” Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lufang Zhou
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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3
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Chen K, Kim S, Yang S, Varadkar T, Zhou ZZ, Zhang J, Zhou L, Liu XM. Advanced biomanufacturing and evaluation of adeno-associated virus. J Biol Eng 2024; 18:15. [PMID: 38360753 PMCID: PMC10868095 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-024-00409-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) has been developed as a safe and effective gene delivery vehicle to treat rare genetic diseases. This study aimed to establish a novel biomanufacturing process to achieve high production and purification of various AAV serotypes (AAV2, 5, DJ, DJ8). First, a robust suspensive production process was developed and optimized using Gibco Viral Production Cell 2.0 in 30-60 mL shaker flask cultures by evaluating host cells, cell density at the time of transfection and plasmid amount, adapted to 60-100 mL spinner flask production, and scaled up to 1.2-2.0-L stirred-tank bioreactor production at 37 °C, pH 7.0, 210 rpm and DO 40%. The optimal process generated AAV titer of 7.52-8.14 × 1010 vg/mL. Second, a new AAV purification using liquid chromatography was developed and optimized to reach recovery rate of 85-95% of all four serotypes. Post-purification desalting and concentration procedures were also investigated. Then the generated AAVs were evaluated in vitro using Western blotting, transmission electron microscope, confocal microscope and bioluminescence detection. Finally, the in vivo infection and functional gene expression of AAV were confirmed in tumor xenografted mouse model. In conclusion, this study reported a robust, scalable, and universal biomanufacturing platform of AAV production, clarification and purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University (OSU), 151 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Seulhee Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 140 W 19th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Siying Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University (OSU), 151 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Tanvi Varadkar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University (OSU), 151 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Zhuoxin Zora Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University (OSU), 151 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Jiashuai Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 140 W 19th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Lufang Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 140 W 19th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Margaret Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University (OSU), 151 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), The Ohio State University, 650 Ackerman Rd, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA.
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Luo N, Chen X, Li J, Huynh D, Li Y, Ou L, Liu S. Evaluation of recombinant baculovirus clearance during rAAV production in Sf9 cells using a newly developed fluorescent-TCID 50 assay. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1302648. [PMID: 38318248 PMCID: PMC10839039 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1302648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors provide a safe and efficient means for in vivo gene delivery, although its large-scale production remains challenging. Featuring high manufacturing speed, flexible product design, and inherent safety and scalability, the baculovirus/Sf9 cell system offers a practical solution to the production of rAAV vectors in large quantities and high purity. Nonetheless, removal and inactivation of recombinant baculoviruses during downstream purification of rAAV vectors remain critical prior to clinical application. Methods The present study utilized a newly developed fluorescent-TCID50 (F-TCID50) assay to determine the infectious titer of recombinant baculovirus (rBV) stock after baculovirus removal and inactivation, and to evaluate the impact of various reagents and solutions on rBV infectivity. Results and discussion The results showed that a combination of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and Triton X-100 lysis, AAVx affinity chromatography, low pH hold (pH3.0), CsCl ultracentrifugation, and NFR filtration led to effective removal and/or inactivation of recombinant baculoviruses, and achieved a log reduction value (LRV) of more than 18.9 for the entire AAV purification process. In summary, this study establishes a standard protocol for downstream baculovirus removal and inactivation and a reliable F-TCID50 assay to detect rBV infectivity, which can be widely applied in AAV manufacturing using the baculovirus system.
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Leon-Astudillo C, Trivedi PD, Sun RC, Gentry MS, Fuller DD, Byrne BJ, Corti M. Current avenues of gene therapy in Pompe disease. Curr Opin Neurol 2023; 36:464-473. [PMID: 37639402 PMCID: PMC10911405 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Pompe disease is a rare, inherited, devastating condition that causes progressive weakness, cardiomyopathy and neuromotor disease due to the accumulation of glycogen in striated and smooth muscle, as well as neurons. While enzyme replacement therapy has dramatically changed the outcome of patients with the disease, this strategy has several limitations. Gene therapy in Pompe disease constitutes an attractive approach due to the multisystem aspects of the disease and need to address the central nervous system manifestations. This review highlights the recent work in this field, including methods, progress, shortcomings, and future directions. RECENT FINDINGS Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) and lentiviral vectors (LV) are well studied platforms for gene therapy in Pompe disease. These products can be further adapted for safe and efficient administration with concomitant immunosuppression, with the modification of specific receptors or codon optimization. rAAV has been studied in multiple clinical trials demonstrating safety and tolerability. SUMMARY Gene therapy for the treatment of patients with Pompe disease is feasible and offers an opportunity to fully correct the principal pathology leading to cellular glycogen accumulation. Further work is needed to overcome the limitations related to vector production, immunologic reactions and redosing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Leon-Astudillo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Prasad D Trivedi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ramon C Sun
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville FL, United States
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, United States
| | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville FL, United States
- Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative, United States
| | | | - Barry J Byrne
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Manuela Corti
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
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6
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Moço PD, Xu X, Silva CAT, Kamen AA. Production of adeno-associated viral vector serotype 6 by triple transfection of suspension HEK293 cells at higher cell densities. Biotechnol J 2023; 18:e2300051. [PMID: 37337925 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the use of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as vectors for gene and cell therapy has increased, leading to a rise in the amount of AAV vectors required during pre-clinical and clinical trials. AAV serotype 6 (AAV6) has been found to be efficient in transducing different cell types and has been successfully used in gene and cell therapy protocols. However, the number of vectors required to effectively deliver the transgene to one single cell has been estimated at 106 viral genomes (VG), making large-scale production of AAV6 necessary. Suspension cell-based platforms are currently limited to low cell density productions due to the widely reported cell density effect (CDE), which results in diminished production at high cell densities and decreased cell-specific productivity. This limitation hinders the potential of the suspension cell-based production process to increase yields. In this study, we investigated the improvement of the production of AAV6 at higher cell densities by transiently transfecting HEK293SF cells. The results showed that when the plasmid DNA was provided on a cell basis, the production could be carried out at medium cell density (MCD, 4 × 106 cells mL-1 ) resulting in titers above 1010 VG mL-1 . No detrimental effects on cell-specific virus yield or cell-specific functional titer were observed at MCD production. Furthermore, while medium supplementation alleviated the CDE in terms of VG/cell at high cell density (HCD, 10 × 106 cells mL-1 ) productions, the cell-specific functional titer was not maintained, and further studies are necessary to understand the observed limitations for AAV production in HCD processes. The MCD production method reported here lays the foundation for large-scale process operations, potentially solving the current vector shortage in AAV manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo D Moço
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Xingge Xu
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Cristina A T Silva
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Amine A Kamen
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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7
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Grossen P, Skaripa Koukelli I, van Haasteren J, H E Machado A, Dürr C. The ice age - A review on formulation of Adeno-associated virus therapeutics. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2023; 190:1-23. [PMID: 37423416 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapies offer promising therapeutic alternatives for many disorders that currently lack efficient treatment options. Due to their chemical nature and physico-chemical properties, delivery of polynucleic acids into target cells and subcellular compartments remains a significant challenge. Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) have gained a lot of interest for the efficient delivery of therapeutic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genomes over the past decades. More than a hundred products have been tested in clinical settings and three products have received market authorization by the US FDA in recent years. A lot of effort is being made to generate potent recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors that show favorable safety and immunogenicity profiles for either local or systemic administration. Manufacturing processes are gradually being optimized to deliver a consistently high product quality and to serve potential market needs beyond rare indications. In contrast to protein therapeutics, most rAAV products are still supplied as frozen liquids within rather simple formulation buffers to enable sufficient product shelf life, significantly hampering global distribution and access. In this review, we aim to outline the hurdles of rAAV drug product development and discuss critical formulation and composition aspects of rAAV products under clinical evaluation. Further, we highlight recent development efforts in order to achieve stable liquid or lyophilized products. This review therefore provides a comprehensive overview on current state-of-the-art rAAV formulations and can further serve as a map for rational formulation development activities in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Grossen
- F.Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharma Technical Development, Pharmaceutical Development and Supplies EU, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Irini Skaripa Koukelli
- F.Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharma Technical Development, Pharmaceutical Development and Supplies EU, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joost van Haasteren
- F.Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Cell and Gene Therapy Unit, Gene Therapy Development Clinical Manufacturing, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra H E Machado
- F.Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharma Technical Development, Pharmaceutical Development and Supplies EU, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Dürr
- F.Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharma Technical Development, Pharmaceutical Development and Supplies EU, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
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8
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Seo JJ, Jung SJ, Yang J, Choi DE, Kim VN. Functional viromic screens uncover regulatory RNA elements. Cell 2023:S0092-8674(23)00675-X. [PMID: 37413987 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The number of sequenced viral genomes has surged recently, presenting an opportunity to understand viral diversity and uncover unknown regulatory mechanisms. Here, we conducted a screening of 30,367 viral segments from 143 species representing 96 genera and 37 families. Using a library of viral segments in 3' UTR, we identified hundreds of elements impacting RNA abundance, translation, and nucleocytoplasmic distribution. To illustrate the power of this approach, we investigated K5, an element conserved in kobuviruses, and found its potent ability to enhance mRNA stability and translation in various contexts, including adeno-associated viral vectors and synthetic mRNAs. Moreover, we identified a previously uncharacterized protein, ZCCHC2, as a critical host factor for K5. ZCCHC2 recruits the terminal nucleotidyl transferase TENT4 to elongate poly(A) tails with mixed sequences, delaying deadenylation. This study provides a unique resource for virus and RNA research and highlights the potential of the virosphere for biological discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny J Seo
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Jin Jung
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Yang
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Eun Choi
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - V Narry Kim
- Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Whiteley Z, Massaro G, Gkogkos G, Gavriilidis A, Waddington SN, Rahim AA, Craig DQM. Microfluidic production of nanogels as alternative triple transfection reagents for the manufacture of adeno-associated virus vectors. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:5865-5876. [PMID: 36866741 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr06401d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) have proved a mainstay in gene therapy, owing to their remarkable transduction efficiency and safety profile. Their production, however, remains challenging in terms of yield, the cost-effectiveness of manufacturing procedures and large-scale production. In this work, we present nanogels produced by microfluidics as a novel alternative to standard transfection reagents such as polyethylenimine-MAX (PEI-MAX) for the production of AAV vectors with comparable yields. Nanogels were formed at pDNA weight ratios of 1 : 1 : 2 and 1 : 1 : 3, of pAAV cis-plasmid, pDG9 capsid trans-plasmid and pHGTI helper plasmid respectively, where vector yields at a small scale showed no significant difference to those of PEI-MAX. Weight ratios of 1 : 1 : 2 showed overall higher titers than 1 : 1 : 3, where nanogels with nitrogen/phosphate ratios of 5 and 10 produced yields of ≈8.8 × 108 vg mL-1 and ≈8.1 × 108 vg mL-1 respectively compared to ≈1.1 × 109 vg mL-1 for PEI-MAX. In larger scale production, optimised nanogels produced AAV at a titer of ≈7.4 × 1011 vg mL-1, showing no statistical difference from that of PEI-MAX at ≈1.2 × 1012 vg mL-1, indicating that equivalent titers can be achieved with easy-to-implement microfluidic technology at comparably lower costs than traditional reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Whiteley
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.
| | - Giulia Massaro
- Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Georgios Gkogkos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Asterios Gavriilidis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Simon N Waddington
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 84-84 Chenies Mews, London, WC1E 6HU, UK
- MRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ahad A Rahim
- Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Duncan Q M Craig
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.
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10
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Iglesias CF, Ristovski M, Bolic M, Cuperlovic-Culf M. rAAV Manufacturing: The Challenges of Soft Sensing during Upstream Processing. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10020229. [PMID: 36829723 PMCID: PMC9951952 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10020229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is the most effective viral vector technology for directly translating the genomic revolution into medicinal therapies. However, the manufacturing of rAAV viral vectors remains challenging in the upstream processing with low rAAV yield in large-scale production and high cost, limiting the generalization of rAAV-based treatments. This situation can be improved by real-time monitoring of critical process parameters (CPP) that affect critical quality attributes (CQA). To achieve this aim, soft sensing combined with predictive modeling is an important strategy that can be used for optimizing the upstream process of rAAV production by monitoring critical process variables in real time. However, the development of soft sensors for rAAV production as a fast and low-cost monitoring approach is not an easy task. This review article describes four challenges and critically discusses the possible solutions that can enable the application of soft sensors for rAAV production monitoring. The challenges from a data scientist's perspective are (i) a predictor variable (soft-sensor inputs) set without AAV viral titer, (ii) multi-step forecasting, (iii) multiple process phases, and (iv) soft-sensor development composed of the mechanistic model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Milica Ristovski
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Miodrag Bolic
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Miroslava Cuperlovic-Culf
- Digital Technologies Research Center, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Correspondence:
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11
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Celebi Torabfam G, Yetisgin AA, Erdem C, Cayli A, Kutlu O, Cetinel S. A feasibility study of different commercially available serum-free mediums to enhance lentivirus and adeno-associated virus production in HEK 293 suspension cells. Cytotechnology 2022; 74:635-655. [PMID: 36389283 PMCID: PMC9652196 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-022-00551-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lentivirus and adeno-associated viruses are invaluable tools for biotechnology applications due to their genetic material delivery abilities both in vitro and in vivo. However, their large-scale productions with Good Manufacturing Practices yield low efficiency when adherent and serum dependent HEK293 (Human Embryonic Kidney) cells are used as the host. To increase production efficiency, HEK293 cells are adapted to grow in suspension using commercially available and chemically defined serum-free mediums. Suspended cells can be transiently transfected for viral vector production; however, significant improvements are still needed to increase yield and thereby cost effectiveness. Here, we evaluated four most preferred commercially available mediums that are IVY, FreeStyle293, LV-MAX, and BalanCD HEK293 for the transient transfection feasibility of lentiviral (LV) and adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (AAV2) production in FlorabioHEK293 suspension cells. The highest transfection efficiency was over 90% and obtained by using polyethyleneimine (PEI) 25 K and by media adaptation in IVY without using any transfection enhancer. For the first time the feasibility of HEK293 cells, which were adapted to grow in suspension culture by Florabio and IVY media, were tested for virus production. This study demonstrates the best transfection medium for scalable and optimized production of Lentivirus and Adeno-Associated Virus in suspended HEK293 cell culture. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10616-022-00551-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizem Celebi Torabfam
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering Program, Sabanci University, Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
| | - Abuzer Alp Yetisgin
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Materials Science and Nano Engineering, Sabanci University, Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
| | - Cem Erdem
- FloraBio Technology, Urla, 35430 İzmir Turkey
| | - Aziz Cayli
- FloraBio Technology, Urla, 35430 İzmir Turkey
| | - Ozlem Kutlu
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering Program, Sabanci University, Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
| | - Sibel Cetinel
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering Program, Sabanci University, Istanbul, 34956 Turkey
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Mendes JP, Fernandes B, Pineda E, Kudugunti S, Bransby M, Gantier R, Peixoto C, Alves PM, Roldão A, Silva RJS. AAV process intensification by perfusion bioreaction and integrated clarification. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1020174. [PMID: 36420444 PMCID: PMC9676353 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) demand for clinical trials and approved therapeutic applications is increasing due to this vector's overall success and potential. The high doses associated with administration strategies challenges bioprocess engineers to develop more efficient technologies and innovative strategies capable of increasing volumetric productivity. In this study, alternating tangential flow (ATF) and Tangential Flow Depth filtration (TFDF) techniques were compared as to their potential for 1) implementing a high-cell-density perfusion process to produce AAV8 using mammalian HEK293 cells and transient transfection, and 2) integrating AAV harvest and clarification units into a single step. On the first topic, the results obtained demonstrate that AAV expression improves with a medium exchange strategy. This was evidenced firstly in the small-scale perfusion-mocking study and later verified in the 2 L bioreactor operated in perfusion mode. Fine-tuning the shear rate in ATF and TFDF proved instrumental in maintaining high cell viabilities and, most importantly, enhancing AAV-specific titers (7.6 × 104 VG/cell), i.e., up to 4-fold compared to non-optimized perfusion cultures and 2-fold compared with batch operation mode. Regarding the second objective, TFDF enabled the highest recovery yields during perfusion-based continuous harvest of extracellular virus and lysate clarification. This study demonstrates that ATF and TFDF techniques have the potential to support the production and continuous harvest of AAV, and enable an integrated clarification procedure, contributing to the simplification of operations and improving manufacturing efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P. Mendes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Fernandes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | - Cristina Peixoto
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula M. Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - António Roldão
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J. S. Silva
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
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