Vector Production & Development Unit (VP&DU)

• High virus yield and concentration
• High purity
• Precise analysis (quantity and quality)
• Good process control
• High safety
• Process development including upscaling

• Standard large-scale production of purified, well characterized virus stocks of wildtype and recombinant parvoviruses.
• Accompanying research for clinical studies.
• Consulting and technical support intern by questions to virus production, purification and analysis.
• Optimization and adaptation of production and purification methods.

Beside providing support for scientists our aim is to establish standard protocols for:
(a) self-replicating wild type and mutant parvoviruses and
(b) recombinant autonomous and adeno-associated parvoviruses carrying foreign therapeutic genes.

These new developments concern:

• the improvement of distinct steps in the production and purification protocols (e.g. evaluation of initial titers for virus production [optimization of per cell output], optimizing transfection procedures [cost factors included], search for suitable cell lines for optimal production), 
• up-scaling of the currently used procedures (evaluation of suitable production factories, adaptation to suspension/micro-carrier cultures), 
• the establishment of new procedures for virus purification and quality controls (concentration of virus stocks, purification by alternative/additional purification steps [e.g. affinity chromatography], establishment of quality control measurements, (SDS-PAGE, HPLC/FPLC, Empty capsid vs. full capsids by ELISA-techniques), 
• adaptation of present materials and methodologies to the production of GMP-grade virus (vector) stocks to support clinical trials

In the establishment of GMP-produced parvovirus, the unit also plays a pivotal role in the interaction of the F010 division with the various organizations involved in the approval and application of procedures for virus (vector) production under GMP-conditions.