Application Of The Sf-Rhabdovirus-Negative (Sf-RVN®) Platform For AAV Production

By Thibaut Deschamps, Sandy McNorton, Kim Schrag, and Charlotte Javalet

In the last two decades, the number of viral vaccines and gene therapy vectors produced using the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) has increased from two commercial products in the mid-2000s to a dozen currently. Most recently, the BEVS is being utilized by biopharmaceutical companies to produce recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) to treat genetic diseases.

The resurgence of gene therapies is providing lifesaving options to patients with otherwise untreatable diseases, leading to increased demand for large amounts of high-quality viral vectors. Compared to stable chromosomal integration or transient transfection, BEVS production relies on a viral carrier to transport the foreign genetic information offering higher flexibility, manufacturing speed, cost reduction, and competing product titers.

Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) cell lines are widely used as hosts for BEVS. However, the majority of Sf-9 and Sf-21 cell lines contain an Sf-rhabdovirus, which is considered a contaminant and must be eliminated during the downstream purification process (Hailun Ma et al. 2014).

Discover a proven Sf-9-rhabdovirus-negative insect cell line that improves the safety profile of baculovirus insect cell bioprocesses. To get excellent growth and productivity of the cell line, a chemically defined medium was specifically developed. Combined, these two products form a platform that provides a high performant rhabdovirus-free BEVS alternative for the BEVS production of biologics. Explore the performance of this chemically defined medium for growth and AAV2 production, evaluated in both Sf-RVN® and Sf-9 cells.