cell and gene therapy

Although chromatography resins are usually thought of as tools to purify medicines, groundbreaking treatments now utilize resin beads as an integral component of the therapy itself. These therapies are essential for treating certain cancers and inflammatory disorders.

Translational research bridges the gap between scientific discoveries and real-world applications, transforming scientific breakthroughs into life-changing therapies. Success in this endeavor hinges on several factors, including collaboration between scientists and clinicians. A notable example of this is the approval of Zolgensma, a gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which marked a significant milestone in the field of translational research.

In recent years, gene therapy treatments have increased significantly, requiring more efficient processes to purify and deliver these therapeutics. Lentiviral vectors (LVVs) are a type of retrovirus and are an effective tool for gene delivery. In this webinar, data are shown for a high-throughput screening strategy that was employed for LVV purification, which provided high yield as well as acceptable host cell protein (HCP) clearance.

In the rapidly evolving field of cancer research, understanding the complex interplay between tumors and the immune system is essential for developing effective therapies. Bio-Plex Multiplex Immunoassays, for research use only and powered by Luminex xMAP technology, provide a cutting-edge tool for simultaneously measuring multiple immune biomarkers. Learn how these research tools are paving the way for development of personalized cancer treatments in the future.

In June, Bio-Rad hosted Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) World 2024, the premier digital PCR event bringing together global leaders in science and innovation. ddPCR World features experts showcasing how ddPCR technology has been instrumental in overcoming some of their most complex research and manufacturing challenges. In this article, we are excited to share key insights and cutting-edge research using ddPCR technology that are driving scientific breakthroughs across the globe.

A common challenge in scaling up cell and gene therapy production is monitoring for contaminants, such as Mycoplasma. Learn how ddPCR can help in this webinar.

Scientists commonly use lentiviruses and adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as viral vectors in cell and gene therapy (CGT) production. However, therapies that use these viruses must undergo strict quality control measures, including testing for replication-competent viruses (RCV), to ensure that the treatment is safe. Cell culture-based methods are currently the gold standard for RCV testing, but it can take up to 45 days for results to be returned. Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) kits now offer an attractive orthogonal method.

Recent advances in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy have opened exciting new avenues for the treatment of a variety of malignancies. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a powerful immune response to activated CAR T cells, is the primary side effect of CAR T-cell therapy, but existing CRS treatments can make CAR T-cell treatment less effective. In two recent studies, researchers used multiplexed cytokine immunoassays to better understand how CAR T-cell therapy triggers CRS and to identify strategies for early intervention in CRS development.

Anion exchange and mixed-mode chromatography offer efficient and flexible AAV purification. Learn new strategies for optimizing viral vector purification.

Lentiviral vectors (LVVs) have become the primary method of gene delivery for cells ex vivo in both academic and clinical applications. Currently, qPCR is the gold standard for functional titering of LVVs, but Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) offers an attractive alternative due to its inherent benefits, such as absolute quantification without the use of a standard curve and enhanced resistance to PCR inhibitors.