Tosoh Bioscience, a leading provider of chromatographic solutions for biomolecule separation and purification, announced a pioneering partnership with Prof Dr Michael Wolff from the University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen (THM), Gießen, Germany, which will focus on developing continuous purification processes for viruses and viral vectors. This collaboration aligns with Tosoh Bioscience’s efforts to support the cell and gene therapy (CGT) industry and researchers worldwide.

Dr Romain Dabre, director of Global Product Management at Tosoh Bioscience, emphasises the strategic importance of this project: “This collaboration is a testament to Tosoh Bioscience’s commitment to advancing solutions that meet the critical needs of the CGT industry. With Prof Dr Wolff’s expertise and our cutting-edge technology, we are set to make significant advancements in virus and viral vector purification.”

Advancing CGT Purification Technologies

The goal of this partnership is improving the purification process of viruses, using Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and Orf viruses as model viruses, as well as Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) particles. This research project promises to reduce the costs of CGT manufacturing processes, making therapies more accessible and cost-effective.

Tosoh Bioscience is contributing significantly to this venture by financing a researcher position held by Elena Bagrin in Prof Dr Wolff’s group for the next two years and supplying an Octave™ BIO Multi-Column Chromatography (MCC) system along with SkillPak™ BIO columns pre-packed with TOYOPEARL^® resins. In addition, Dr Carsten-René Arlt, Application Scientist at Tosoh Bioscience, will support the project with his MCC and bioprocess technology expertise. He shares: “We are excited to collaborate with the renowned group of Prof. Dr. Wolff. Our joint venture will address some of the most pressing challenges in the biopharmaceutical sector.”

Collaborative Efforts Toward Scientific Breakthroughs

Building on a foundation of previous collaboration in batch downstream processing under the guidance of Dr Egbert Müller, senior scientific advisor at Tosoh Bioscience, this new project marks a deepening of the collaborative bond between the two entities. Prof Dr Wolff expresses his enthusiasm: “The partnership with Tosoh Bioscience represents a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries of bioprocessing technology. Together, we aspire to develop a more efficient, continuous chromatographic method for virus and viral vector purification that could greatly enhance the economic viability of CGT manufacturing processes.”

This partnership exemplifies Tosoh Bioscience’s dedication to innovation and industry-academic collaborations. For more information on this exciting collaboration and its developments, please contact Dr Romain Dabre (Tosoh Bioscience) or Prof Dr Michael Wolff (THM).