Vyriad announces strategic collaboration with Novartis to develop in vivo CAR-T cell therapies

Collaboration will combine Vyriad’s lentiviral vector platform and Novartis expertise and leadership in cell therapy innovation

ROCHESTER, Minn., Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Vyriad, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing the next generation of targeted genetic therapies, today announced a strategic collaboration with Novartis to discover and develop in vivo chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies.

The collaboration will leverage Vyriad’s active targeting lentiviral vector platform and Novartis expertise and leadership in cell therapy innovation. Novartis and Vyriad will focus on the identification and development of in vivo CAR-T cell therapy candidates to be clinically advanced by Novartis. Vyriad will receive an upfront payment, milestone payments, and tiered royalties on each program.

“Taking an in vivo approach to CAR-T cell therapies has the potential to transform the field,” said Vyriad CEO Stephen J. Russell, M.D. Ph.D. “We believe our targeted delivery platform is poised to enable this vision for the industry and our collaboration with Novartis represents an exciting step forward in advancing the next generation of CAR-T cell treatments.”

“As an industry pioneer in the field, we are committed to addressing unmet medical needs and making the transformative potential of CAR-T cell therapies available to more patients,” said Jennifer Brogdon, Head of Cell & Gene Therapies at Novartis Biomedical Research. “We are excited to collaborate with Vyriad and combine their technology platform with Novartis expertise and capabilities to innovate and advance next-generation CAR-T cell therapies.”

Vyriad’s targeted lentiviral vector platform provides T-cell specificity and activation in vivo, enabling delivery of CAR payloads to T cells in their natural environment. Through its viral vector engineering acumen, Vyriad developed a lentiviral delivery system with the potential to target and transduce resting T cells and reprogram them while still inside the body to become potential treatments for patients.

About Vyriad, Inc.

Vyriad is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing the next generation of targeted genetic therapies using engineered viruses, viral vectors and viral envelope glycoproteins to deliver genes directly to targeted cells. This targeting technology facilitates oncolytic virotherapy, in vivo gene therapies and gene editing applications. Phase 1-2 trials with our oncolytic viruses, both as monotherapies and in combination with immune-oncology drugs, are underway in multiple cancer indications in collaboration with Regeneron, Mayo Clinic and other research and medical institutions. Vyriad is a privately held company based in Rochester, Minnesota. 

PackGene Biotech is a world-leading CRO and CDMO, excelling in AAV vectors, mRNA, plasmid DNA, and lentiviral vector solutions. Our comprehensive offerings span from vector design and construction to AAV, lentivirus, and mRNA services. With a sharp focus on early-stage drug discovery, preclinical development, and cell and gene therapy trials, we deliver cost-effective, dependable, and scalable production solutions. Leveraging our groundbreaking π-alpha 293 AAV high-yield platform, we amplify AAV production by up to 10-fold, yielding up to 1e+17vg per batch to meet diverse commercial and clinical project needs. Moreover, our tailored mRNA and LNP products and services cater to every stage of drug and vaccine development, from research to GMP production, providing a seamless, end-to-end solution.

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