Axovant looks to CDMO Yposkesi for gene therapy scale up

Axovant Sciences has selected French CDMO Yposkesi as a strategic partner to help bring its neurologic and neuromuscular gene therapy candidates through the clinic.

Contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Yposkesi will utilize its adeno-associated virus (AAV) and lentiviral vector production capabilities to service the strategic agreement with Axovant.

Swiss biotech Axovant has a pipeline of gene therapies targeting neurological and neuromuscular diseases.

Image: iStock/SARINYAPINNGAM.

Financial details have not been divulged, but Alain Lamproye, CEO of Yposkesi, said it is a straight forward contract deal.

“We will provide Axovant access to one of our several cGMP manufacturing suites.  The agreement concerns the next several years,” he told this publication. “Yposkesi will provide the capacity, including cleanrooms, equipment and the required personnel.”

Yposkesi has four cGMP manufacturing suites and two fill & finish suitesat its site located about 20km south of Paris. The firm has current capacity of 35 batches per year.

“Yposkesi has a fully equipped cGMP manufacturing plant, able to handle multiple types of processes for the production of viral vectors.  There is no need to invest into specific equipment and/or hire additional staff [to service this deal.”

However, the firm is adding a 10,000 m² facility comprising of two independent suites equipped with 1,000 L single-use bioreactors, commissioned for Q3 2021.

Talking to us in July, Lamproye said the expansion is a necessary response to the high demand for viral vector supply, which is “higher than the current global capacity of the CMOs.”