BioCina Pty Ltd., a global end-to-end biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced the exclusive rights to utilize CelluTx’s recombination-based plasmid system (RBPS) technology with BioCina’s CDMO clients. RBPS is a cutting-edge technology for minicircle DNA (mcDNA) production involving site-specific recombination within a bacterial host, to separate the minicircle containing the gene of interest from the rest of the plasmid backbone, including the antibiotic resistance genes and origins of replication.

This new technology has several advantages over older mcDNA technologies, including process scalability, exceptionally high recombination efficiency, higher yields, simpler purification processes due to the clear separation of minicircles from miniplasmids, and the ability to produce larger minicircles that can accommodate complex gene cassettes. The streamlined structure of the mcDNA leads to enhanced and prolonged transgene expression and makes it less immunogenic and safer for in vivo use. These benefits make RBPS a promising approach for advancing mcDNA production and expanding its potential applications in cell and gene therapies and other advanced therapeutics. An example of such application, announced last year, is the cGMP program that BioCina is currently delivering for GenomeFrontier, in which the RBPS technology is key to the scale-up of GenomeFrontier’s CAR-T product.

“We are pleased to announce our partnership with CelluTx enabling BioCina to exclusively provide this innovative technology to our clients around the world,” said Mark Womack, CEO, BioCina. “We have already witnessed great success in utilizing it within our client portfolio and eagerly anticipate advancing many other client programs with the technology.”

CelluTx’s CEO, Maurits Geerlings, said, “We are very pleased to engage with BioCina for the worldwide deployment of the RBPS minicircle DNA technology. BioCina has proven capabilities and the highest commitment to its customers, which has been fundamental to our partnering with BioCina.”

Womack added, “Additionally, Australia offers one of the most attractive tax incentives available globally (up to 48.5% cash refund), making it an ideal destination for biologics companies looking to invest in scaling-up and manufacturing their products.”