Financial terms of the arrangement have not been disclosed.

The cooperation will focus on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-headquartered Wuxi arm’s Tetracycline-Enabled Self-Silencing Adenovirus (TESSA) technology that improves adeno-associated virus (AAV) yields and particle quality. According to Wuxi, the platform produces significantly more AAV than plasmid-based manufacturing for cell and gene therapies.

Under the agreement, WuXi ATU will provide materials, equipment, funding and training to further develop and commercialize its technology. Singapore’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute will contribute its research expertise an facilities as well as affording access to its network of partners.

Koh Boon Tong, BTI’s executive director, called the collaboration “a significant step towards Singapore's goal to be an innovative biotherapeutics bioprocessing R&D hub.” 

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist