The leading Belgium-based CDMO Exothera (Jumet and Nivelles), specializing in the industrialization of vaccine and gene therapy processes, collaborates with IDT Biologika (Germany) to develop a large-scale manufacturing process for viral vector-based vaccines. The feasibility study is focussing on Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus as a first example for IDT’s broad range of vector technologies. Exothera has successfully transferred IDT Biologika’s upstream process from small to large scale in the NevoLine™ Upstream platform (Univercells Technologies).
Exothera is a viral vector CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) using standard and innovative bioproduction platforms to rapidly deliver affordable viral vector-based vaccines and cell and gene therapies. As a Univercells company, Exothera capitalizes on novel manufacturing technologies and best-in-class bioprocessing expertise to provide custom-made process optimization and GMP clinical and commercial production of viral vectors. Based on its extensive technology expertise, Exothera selects technologies to optimally answer customer needs for cost-effective and agile viral vector manufacturing and provides QC services and analytical development.
The NevoLine platform incorporates the scale-X™ structured fixed-bed bioreactor system which offers a range of scalable options to smoothly scale viral production from R&D to commercialization. This innovative biomanufacturing technology will help to deliver cost-effective viral production that is unmatched in the industry. The collaboration between IDT and Exothera will demonstrate the application and increased performance of the NevoLine platform at full commercial capacity.
Romain de Rauville, VP Business Development at Exothera: “At Exothera we’re excited to be working collaboratively with IDT Biologika to leverage Univercells Technologies’ novel manufacturing platforms to design a high-quality, and cost-effective commercial process for the viral vector based industry”.
IDT Biologika is an innovative biotech company with a successful history dating back 100 years. On the basis of modern technologies and high levels of expertise, IDT supports customers in the development and manufacture of innovative virus vaccines, gene and immune therapy products as well as biologics employed worldwide as protection against diseases. German sites are the BioPharmaPark in Dessau-Roßlau and Magdeburg. In the US, the IDT Corporation has a manufacturing site for clinical test samples in Rockville, Maryland.
Dr. Simone Kardinahl, SVP Development at IDT Biologika: “Viral vaccines have been receiving special attention since the launch of COVID vaccines, however they had been important for many vaccine programs, in the past already. IDT Biologika has a strong track record in development and manufacturing of vaccine candidates; this is why our researchers are continuously looking for options to further optimize our processes in terms of quality and efficiency. The Univercells Technologies equipment is one further milestone on this path.“