Poxvirus Production CDMO Services

Poxviruses carry and express large payloads. They are strong inducers of T-cell immunity and are especially suitable as boosters for vaccination and in virotherapies.

We design and generate viral vectors for expression of multiple transgenes and optimize processes for specific viruses based on our proprietary production platform.

Our rapid recombination system significantly shortens the timelines that are usually required for the generation of recombinant viruses. In a final step, we optimize a production process for your specific virus, based on the fully-characterized, continuous avian cell line AGE1.CR.pIX®.

Our poxvirus and MVA technology is based on several unique and protected developments:

Avian cell line AGE1.CR.pIX, which is highly permissive for a wide spectrum of viruses, including highly attenuated poxviruses such as fowlpox virus, ALVAC, and MVA.
Chemically-defined culture media for CR.pIX are available in liquid and powder formulation.
Cultivation and infection of CR.pIX is optimized for scalable, fed-batch suspension processes in conventional bioreactor systems and for intensified processes.
Purification of MVA is based on filtration without additional chromatographic steps.
Our unique strain MVA-CR19 replicates to very high titers, even in continuous single-cell suspension culture.
Our strategy is to maintain multiple expression cassettes in different genomic regions.
Our rapid recombination method for MVA shortens the process time of generation and purification of recombinants to only 2 weeks.

Suspension Culture Processes

Our suspension-cultivation process in disposable bioreactor systems is robust and fully scalable. The platform ensures efficient cell disintegration for virus release and uses a salt-assisted, filtration-based purification. Host cell-derived DNA levels are significantly below the prescribed limits. We can either produce your drug substance/drug product or out-license the cell line and tech transfer the process to your site.

MVA Vector Design

Our MVA vector design allows for the incorporation of multiple transgenes and provides early high-level expression and superior stability. Characterized by defined modifications, our strain MVA-CR19 provides additional benefits with respect to productivity and potency.

With Proven Experience

Our demonstrated experience with recombinant MVA includes the insertion of customized transgene expression cassettes at various positions in the genome, the deletion of host range factors, and the introduction of defined point mutations into viral genes. We design the suitable MVA vector together with you.

With a Fully-Sequenced and Described MVA-CR19

Our MVA-CR19 strain is fully sequenced and described in peer-reviewed publications. It is less dependent on cell-cell contacts for replication and suitable for suspension cultivation processes.

With a Unique Rapid Recombination System

A unique rapid recombination system significantly reduces the time required for plaque purification of recombinant MVA after homologous recombination. This system is particularly suitable for the generation of virus sets with closely related transgenes.

Based on a Fully-Characterised Continuous Avian Cell Line

Our cultivation processes are based on a fully-characterized, continuous avian cell line (CR.pIX), chemically-defined media, and an innovative protocol developed specifically for viruses that replicate by cell-to-cell contact.