The new studies show that siRNAs designed to target a virus known to infect CHO cells – cells that are commonly used to produce recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies – can potently block infection and viral replication.
Alnylam said that RNAi technologies to prevent or treat viral infection of manufacturing cell lines could provide a novel strategy to ensure product quality of biotherapeutic products for patients.
In the new study, performed in collaboration with Ian Goodfellow from Imperial College London, siRNAs were designed and synthesised toward vesivirus.
Alnylam chief scientific officer Ken Koblan said that they remain excited about the Alnylam Biotherapeutics platform and how this application of RNAi technology has the potential to transform the manufacturing of biotherapeutic products.
"These new data describe applications of RNAi technologies to block viral infection of CHO cells – an approach that could preserve quality in biologics manufacturing and also maintain consistency of product supply, Koblan said.
"By all accounts, these encouraging new findings are representative of the rapid progress we are making in this overall effort, and highlight important new applications of our biotherapeutics platform."