Advanced AAV Processing and Potency through Characterisation of Capsid and Payload Heterogeneity

Webinar Preview

Enhancing adeno-associated virus (AAV) viral vector quality can significantly impact product efficacy and is essential to ensure patient safety. We invite you to join our team of experts for a deep dive into our AAV viral vector development expertise and showcase our recent breakthroughs.

In this webinar, our speakers will delve into how the characterisation of the contents and surface of AAV capsids has helped identify factors influencing charge heterogeneity, and, consequently, the potency of AAV products:

• We will first present how VP1 deamidation, which has been associated with a decrease in potency, is also connected to hydrophobicity
• We will investigate how production time within the bioreactor and AAV location inside or outside the cell affects capsid post-translational modifications and surface charge
• We will finally demonstrate the importance of reducing and controlling the level of intermediate (partially full) and empty capsids, which can impact product efficacy and have potential implications for patient safety

After the webinar, we will host a live Q&A session, providing attendees with the opportunity to ask questions directly to the presenters. We look forward to your participation.

Speakers

Sarah Laughlin-Toth, Senior Scientist II Analytical Development, Oxford Biomedica

Sarah Laughlin-Toth leads the biochemistry and mass spectrometry group at OXB in our Bedford site. She holds a PhD in Biophysical Chemistry from Georgia State University with expertise in mass spectrometry-based characterisation of biological systems.

Her team uses a variety of mass spectrometry, biochemical and separations-based techniques to characterise AAV capsids to identify product-specific qualities, including post-translational modifications, packaging profiles and purity.

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Thomas Thiers, Scientist II Purification Sciences, Oxford Biomedica

Thomas Thiers has been a Downstream Scientist at Oxford Biomedica since 2022. He has been part of the rAAV capsids charge heterogeneity team, a cross-functional group focused on developing a better understanding of the source and means to control capsids charge differences with the ultimate goal to develop more potent products.

Thomas is also an author on a pending patent for rAAV empty full separation and has contributed to many areas of the inAAVate™ purification platform. More recently, Thomas has been involved in bringing Oxford Biomedica’s LentiVector® platform to the company’s US site. He holds a Master’s Degree in Classical Languages from Boston College and an Associate Degree in Biotechnology from Middlessex Community College.

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Alex Meola, Associate Director, AAV Downstream Process Development, Oxford Biomedica

Alex Meola is Associate Director of AAV Downstream Process Development at Oxford Biomedica, based in the US. His team is responsible for developing processes to purify and recover AAV for OXB’s clients and focuses on identifying new technologies and processes to optimise and advance knowledge and understanding of the OXB inAAVate™ platform.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has spent 13 years in industry working in multi-disciplinary groups, including analytical development, formulation development and downstream process development. His experiences include working on multiple reagent and therapeutic modalities, including recombinant proteins, enzymes, antibodies, nanoparticles and AAV.

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