(Taiwan) DCB announces formation of Gene Vector Consortium :: BiotechEast - Taiwan and China biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, ^¤å½s×, ^¤å×§ï ::

(BiotechEast staff)

19 August, 2005,
The Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB), a non-profit, government-funded R&D institute in Taiwan, announced this week it had recently formed an international consortium of companies involved in the field of gene vector technology-based drug development, named the Gene Vector Consortium.

Integrating its expertise in gene vector technology and production with local and international companies having existing capabilities in this field, the DCB invited North Carolina, US-based Asklêpios Biopharmaceutical, Inc., as well as two Taiwan-based companies—contract biopharmaceutical manufacturer Mycenax Biotech, Inc., and CESCO Bioengineering Co. Ltd.—to jointly develop contract manufacturing services for gene vectors.

Gene-based delivery of therapeutic proteins is a novel biomedical approach that is being developed in clinical trials. The delivery is facilitated by viral vectors such as adenoviruses or adeno-associated viruses which are modified to carry genes into human cells where the genes express therapeutic proteins that cure or reduce the disease symptoms.

The DCB has been working on building up its expertise in gene vector technology recently. In a press release announcing the forming of the consortium, the DCB's Dr. Lin Bai-ling, director of genomic medicine and molecular and cell biology at the Taipei-based research institute, stated that types of gene vector technology platforms had been established at the facility; plasmid DNA, adenoviral, and adeno-associated viral vectors, including related construction, culture, purification, validation, and bioassays. The production included lab scale for research grade vectors, and pilot scale for preclinical studies.

Lin stated that as part of the newly-formed consortium, the DCB would help local companies set up production processes and validation assays, including facilitating technology transfer from the contract sources.

The first meeting for the consortium was called by DCB in Taiwan on June 10, 2005, and was attended by the two Taiwan companies currently capable of gene vector production, Mycenax and CESCO Bioengineering.

At BIO 2005, the largest annual gathering of the biotechnology industry, held this year in Philadelphia in July, Taiwan members of the consortium met with Asklêpios Biopharmaceuticals, representatives of which reportedly expressed enthusiasm in exploring the possibility of bringing its adeno-associated viral vectors into the consortium for contract manufacturing business.

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