Catalent Launches UpTempo Virtuoso AAV Platform to Reduce Gene Therapy Development Time & Accelerate Path to Clinic

Catalent recently introduced its new, UpTempo Virtuoso platform process for the development and CGMP manufacturing of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors. The UpTempo Virtuoso platform standardizes and streamlines many time-consuming steps in AAV manufacturing to significantly reduce the timeline from gene to clinic and enable rapid first-in-human clinical evaluation.

The suspension-based UpTempo Virtuoso platform includes optimized standard protocols for cell culture, transfection, and downstream purification, as well as a standardized bill of materials to simplify the critical supply chain and material qualification. The new platform is designed to provide a CGMP-ready, high-titer process that is capable of yielding drug product for clinical evaluation in nine months, potentially reducing the conventional development pathway by half and affording more predictable outcomes. Customers using this new process will also have access to Catalent’s integrated supply chain of plasmid DNA (pDNA), offering further potential to reduce development timelines.

“As one of the first CDMOs to successfully develop a suspension-based transient transfection process, and our deep and specialized viral expertise and broad experience across more than 70 viral vector programs, we have built this new process with the goal of providing our customers with a reliable, reproducible, and scalable path to clinic,” said Manja Boerman, PhD, President, Cell & Gene Therapy at Catalent. “As the gene therapy pipeline expands to a broader disease portfolio, and in anticipation of rising regulatory requirements, our optimized and standardized CGMP manufacturing process is designed to meet robust CMC submissions for AAV gene therapy products, while providing customers with the advantage of shortened timelines.”

Catalent’s global network of pDNA and viral vector clinical and commercial facilities offer horizontally integrated solutions to support advanced therapy programs from gene to clinic. Its Maryland-based network includes viral vector programs in Baltimore and Gaithersburg, and commercial-scale manufacturing at its FDA- and EMA-approved facility in Harmans/BWI. Production of pDNA from research grade through to CGMP quality material is carried out at sites in Rockville, Maryland, and Catalent’s European Center of Excellence in Gosselies, Belgium.

Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy is an industry-leading technology, development, and manufacturing partner for advanced therapeutics. Its comprehensive cell therapy portfolio includes a wide range of expertise across a variety of cell types including CAR-T, TCR, TILs, NKs, iPSCs, and MSCs. With deep expertise in viral vector development, scale-up and manufacturing for gene therapies and viral vectors, Catalent is a full-service partner for plasmid DNA, adeno-associated viral (AAV), lentiviral and other viral vectors, and oncolytic viruses. An experienced and innovative partner, Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy has a global network of dedicated development, clinical and commercial manufacturing facilities for small- and large-scale programs.

Catalent is the global leader in enabling pharma, biotech, and consumer health partners to optimize product development, launch, and full life-cycle supply for patients around the world. With broad and deep scale and expertise in development sciences, delivery technologies, and multi-modality manufacturing, Catalent is a preferred industry partner for personalized medicines, consumer health brand extensions, and blockbuster drugs.

Catalent helps accelerate over 1,000 partner programs and launch over 150 new products every year. Its flexible manufacturing platforms at over 50 global sites supply over 70 billion doses of nearly 7,000 products annually. Catalent’s expert workforce exceeds 19,000, including more than 2,500 scientists and technicians. Headquartered in Somerset, NJ, the company generated $4 billion in revenue in its 2021 fiscal year. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.