Grant: Alliance Grants

The goal of gene therapy is to modify or manipulate the expression of a gene or to alter the biological properties of living cells for therapeutic use. Viral vectors, which are modified viruses devoid of pathogenicity, are ideal vehicles to deliver genetic material for the purpose of gene therapy. Over the last decade, significant improvements in their design and composition have enhanced safety and placed viral vector-based therapies at the forefront of modern medicine. Viral vectors have been employed for the treatment of various diseases such as metabolic, cardiovascular, muscular, hematologic, ophthalmologic, and are used as platforms for vaccine delivery. Although the manufacturing of these vectors has also progressed, increases in demand now requires significant efforts to increase yield and purity. This project proposes to exploit the technology developed by Affinité Instruments, a Canadian company, to develop new and affordable quality control strategies to monitor the efficiency of viral vector production during the manufacturing process. As communicated through the recent "Canada's Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy" Canada is in desperate need to re-instate a flexible biomanufacturing capacity to respond to unexpected challenges such as the one we are facing with COVID-19. The technologies developed in the context of the proposed project will contribute to the collective efforts to rebuild a strong, efficient, and resilient biomanufacturing capacity in Canada.