VIDEODROP: Ideal tool for lentiviral vector bioproduction follow-up
By their ability to transduce a wide range of cell types and to integrate host genome in dividing and non-dividing cells, lentiviral vectors tend to be increasingly used as a powerful tool for gene and cell therapy. The lentiviral vector R&D field is growing, and with it, the need for bioproduct characterization tools. For instance, process optimization and stability studies are crucial steps in the development of new drug products. Furthermore, during production of lentiviral vectors, relevant quality controls – as lentiviral vector quantification and size distribution – are necessary to allow batch release (1 ). Hence, in the context of the production of pilot batches and GMP batches of lentiviral vectors, lxaka is looking for innovative and relevant solutions to rapidly control their bioprocesses and easily characterize their bioproducts.
Myriade, a French company, developed the Videodrop, a new optical device that performs real-time, user-friendly, and label-free measurements of lentiviral vector physical titer and size distribution. This method, based on Interferometric Light Microscopy (ILM) (2), was tested on various lentiviral vector samples: in a context of Drug Product (DP) release, as wel I as in-process controls.
We compared ILM to three well-known physical titration methods: p24 ELISA, RTqPCR, and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA). We also compared NTA and ILM size measurements through a thermal stress-induced study on lentiviral vector DP. The correlation between Videodrop analysis and the other three methods appeared to be robust, with high R2 values. These results suggest that Videodrop is relevant for DP release, and in-process controls. as well as enabling continuous method and process improvements.
Videodrop is an easy-to-use and fast alternative to the current more complex and time-consuming physical titration and biophysical characterization techniques.
