Scaling production of adeno-associated virus vectors remains a key barrier to wider access for gene therapies, prompting a new collaboration between Virica Biotech and Fujifilm Biosciences.

The companies are working together under the Canada–Japan Corporate Co-Innovation Program, with support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program, to improve AAV yields in HEK293 cell systems commonly used in gene therapy manufacturing.

AAV vectors are widely used for in vivo gene delivery, but manufacturing at scale remains costly and technically challenging. As more therapies move into development across larger patient populations, demand for higher volumes of consistent, high-quality viral vectors continues to grow.

The collaboration will focus on combining Virica’s viral sensitiser enhancers with Fujifilm’s BalanCD HEK293 media to improve productivity and process consistency. The aim is to develop an off-the-shelf enhancer and media combination that can be integrated into existing manufacturing workflows without significant process changes.

Virica will optimise enhancer formulations and production parameters using its internal screening and analytical platforms, while Fujifilm will contribute expertise in cell culture media and scale-up.

The companies did not disclose expected improvements in yield, cost reductions or timelines for the project.

Jean-Simon Diallo, chief executive officer of Virica Biotech, said: “Following the recent launch of our CellVantage-AAV off-the-shelf enhancer, our goal is to provide an optimized formulation to deliver further AAV productivity gains specifically in the FUJIFILM Biosciences BalanCD HEK293 system.”

AAV manufacturing constraints have become a persistent issue in the gene therapy sector, particularly as programmes move from early-stage trials into larger studies and potential commercial supply. Limitations in yield and scalability can increase production costs and restrict patient access.

Efforts to improve upstream processes, including cell culture conditions and productivity enhancers, are a key area of focus across the industry. However, many approaches require significant process redevelopment, creating additional cost and regulatory complexity.

By positioning the enhancer and media combination as an off-the-shelf option, the collaboration aims to reduce the need for process redesign. This could be relevant for smaller biopharma companies that rely on standardised manufacturing platforms.

The update does not include independent validation or performance data. Its impact will depend on whether the collaboration can demonstrate measurable improvements in AAV yield and scalability in future studies.