Viral Vector Selection and Manufacturing for Cell and Gene Therapies

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The price is for all three sessions

Learn how to select, manufacture and purify a Viral Vector for use in cell and gene therapies

This course is currently not scheduled however it can be delivered for your team. To register your interest, complete the form below

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Learn more about the course by toggling through the tabs below. Scroll down to view the agenda, trainer info and who should attend.

Course Overview

 

Viral Vectors play a major role in both gene and gene-modified cell therapies. When genetic materials needs to be delivered into a cell a viral vector is often used. There are significant options available to scientists depending on the application. Poor knowledge of viral vectors may lead to mishandling or inappropriate vector selection which could sabotage your therapy and compromise patient safety.

 

This training course will examine the underlying science of viruses and how a viral vector is manufactured. Once completed, you will have the knowledge and understanding to select the most appropriate viral vector for your therapy. You will also study in detail the purification techniques in accordance with the regulatory requirements. You will learn aspects such as: how vectors are engineered, how gene size and transfection efficiency influence vector selection and then finish off by contrasting purification requirements and techniques between vectors used for gene and gene-modified cell therapies.

 

With the Educo Post Learning Implementation Plan (PLIP) you will have the framework to apply and implement the knowledge acquired in the training, supporting you in your development. Learn more about how we deliver live online training.

Key Learning Objectives

 

  • Understand why virus are used to engineer and deliver gene-modified cell and gene therapies
  • Examine how viral vectors are engineered, and how this then translates into purification techniques
  • Consider important factors for selecting the most appropriate vector for your product, including gene size and transfection efficiency.
  • Understand how purification requirements are influenced by vector manufacture and end-use application
  • Compare the regulatory and technical differences of viral vectors used in gene therapy and gene-modified cell therapies
  • Review the various tests available to asses purification including qPCR, ELISA and TC1D50

What is Included in a Live Online Course?

 

  • Direct access to an expert trainer.
  • Interactive and engaging sessions with exercises and discussions.
  • Bitesize learning.
  • Access to the Educo Life Sciences Training Portal.
  • Unlimited access to the recordings for 4 to 5 weeks after the last session.
  • A reinforcement session delivered 4 to 5 weeks after the course (online) providing you with extra time with the trainer.
  • A validated certificate of attendance is available for you to download.

Course Dates

 

Find out when this course is running so you can plan your training. Scroll down to view the full agenda.

2025 Dates TBC

Group Discount

 

If you want to train a small group, we offer a group discount between 5% and 50% depending on the course and number of attendees.

 

For a quote, complete our contact form by following the link. Get in touch.

Customised Team Training

 

We also design and deliver fully customised team training focused on your products, processes, technologies and challenges. This is ideal for specific training requirements or larger groups. Please get in touch with us for more information.

 

For more information, complete our contact form by following the link. Get in touch.

Free Online Module

 

  • Module 1 is free to attend and delivered online at a date 3 to 8 weeks before the full course start date.
  • To register for module 1, please submit your details in the form located in the agenda.
  • Module 1 is recorded so if you are unable to attend, you can catch up ahead of the course start date.

 

Full Course Information and Pricing

 

  • To attend the full course, you must register online at the top of the page by selecting the course dates from the drop-down and clicking enrol to add the course to your basket. Once added, please follow the checkout instructions to pay via credit card or bank transfer.
  • There are price tiers for this course. The dates of these are located above. The earlier you register the more you save.
  • The full training course is delivered either online or in a classroom. Please check which course format you have booked.
  • For hybrid training – In the event we do not have enough people on one of the options we will contact you to discuss switching.
  • For live online courses – The dates and times of modules/sessions are subject to change.
  • For live online courses – The module/session durations are approximate.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Learn more about the course by toggling through the tabs below (Agenda, Trainer and Who Should Attend?)

Post Learning Implementation Plan (PLIP)

Pre-course

  • Access to the Educo Training Portal
  • Submit your needs analysis and objectives for training by completing a simple online form

Action Plan

  • At the end of the training you will create an action plan to help you implement and develop your new skills and knowledge

Reinforcement Session

  • Delivered 3 to 4 weeks after the training
  • It is a 1 hour virtual session enabling the group to reinforce the key learnings from the training and cover and subsequent questions and challenges
Introductory Online Module
FREE to Attend | Live & Recorded

24 September 2024 | 1:00 PM (UK)

Delivered Online

Overview of viruses used in cell and gene therapies

  • Review various types of viruses used in CGT
  • Learn how virus selection is dependent on application
    • Learn why and some of the challenges
    • Integration with host cells
    • Understanding that a virus must be integrative but non-replicative
  • Examine examples of viruses used in CGT applications
    • Lentivirus
    • Adenovirus
    • Review gene therapy viruses
    • Examine cell therapy viruses
  • Examine the differences between viral vectors used in gene therapies and cell therapies
Session 1

180 mins | 12:00 PM UK

Understanding underlying virology and cell biology

  • Explain the wide variety of virus types and how this can be utilised to choose the best virus for your application
  • Review the native targeting ability for some virus types
  • Describe the development of the different GT viruses that have been and are used today
  • What virus is good for some and not for other applications with details on the genetics and infectious cycle of example virus types to illustrate the reasons. The following will be considered:
    • The ability of viruses to integrate with the host genome and insert viral DNA
    • Engineering of viruses so they become integrative but non-replicative in order to ensure patient safety
    • What are the viruses we use for CGT applications: some strands of the HIV virus have been modified over time, lentivirus, adenovirus etc.
    • CAR-T cell therapy

Viral Vector manufacturing and therapeutic cell manufacturing principles

  • Elimination of bacterial DNA sequences from plasmids and how different DNA sequences can cause immune reactions and cell death plus other considerations of plasmid design.
  • Considerations of scaling up from the lab to the clinical scale plus media composition and cell line considerations due to potential contaminations causing immune reactions when injected into the patient
  • Design of production facilities with positive pressure and strict protocols for manufacturing etc.
  • Plasmid design
  • Growth in HEK293 Cells and expansion to reach desired titration, 50l, 200l
  • Industrialisation of cell therapies
  • Understanding the different technologies available and when to use what
  • Facility requirements – operating in closed systems saves time and money as you can operate in a grade C/D facility

Group Exercise
This will be the start of a rolling case study. Delegates in groups will be presented with a scenario where they develop a CGT application which needs viral vectors for delivery or
engineering. Delegates will consolidate the previous two sessions and consider key steps for engineering a viral vector for their application.

Session 2

180 mins | 12:00 PM UK

Choosing the most appropriate vector for your application

  • Understand the importance of having a deep knowledge of the disease to be able to design the best therapy ie choose the right vector system and genetic control systems for the therapeutic genetic elements
  • Explain the difference in ex vivo and in vivo GT and the design of the different approaches
  • Discuss the use of naked nucleic acid therapies v/s vector-based therapies
  • Examine the difference in how VV (Viral Vectors) are used in gene-modified cell therapy and gene therapy – GMCT – vector is the raw material whereas in gene therapy the vector is the final product

Choosing the most appropriate viral vector for your application

  • Size of the gene which needs to be transduced
  • Transduction efficiency
  • Serotype efficiency
  • Examine the issues with large genes and also how the distant enhancers can cause issues in vector design
  • Consider the target cells having a low level of available receptors for the infection and how this can affect the design of the therapy and overall design
  • Brainstorm common factors which influence VV selection

Group exercise and feedback
Groups will consider important factors and design a viral vector for their cell and
gene therapy application and feedback their thoughts to the group.

Session 3

180 mins | 12:00 PM UK

Purification requirements

  • Host cell protein requirements
  • Residual empty capsid
  • Residual host cell DNA
  • How these purification requirements differ between gene therapy and gene-modified cell therapy
  • Understand the importance of using optimal culture media and certified producer cells
  • How it can be good and bad to “push” a producer cell line to high titters as it can be causing an issue with empty v/s full capsids
  • Discuss how bacterial and producer cell DNA can cause negative effects as well as other impurities from manufacturing

Purification techniques

  • ELISA
  • q PCR
  • HPLC
  • TCID50
  • Replication competent lentivirus detection
  • QC of cell therapeutic products
  • Discuss what techniques to use at what stage of production and why they should be used
  • Examine what can be seen and what cannot be seen and how this can affect the overall design of a therapy
  • Discuss the different ways to titre viruses and how this can be related to the specific characteristics of the virus itself
  • Examine the inducible as well as SIV approach and the issues related to each methodology

Group exercise 
In groups, delegates will consolidate the previous talks and brainstorm the purification
requirements and techniques they need to use for their particular viral vector or gene therapy
methodology rolling on from the previous group sessions.

Dr.Lars Brandén has long experience from the fields of viral and non-viral gene delivery, high throughput screening and cell based assays. Dr. Lars Brandén has a career that encompasses start-up of gene therapy companies, building and operating several high throughput cell biology centres and has worked within the life science sector as an international consultant. During his tenure in academia Dr.Brandén was mentored by professor James E. Rothman (Nobel prize winner, 2013) and recruited to several director positions with Columbia University and Yale university. Dr.Brandén has also spent a year in art school and has had international art exhibitions. Dr.Brandén is now working as Science Advisor for a global provider of automated laboratory instruments and solutions in Switzerland

This course is aimed at professionals working with or planning to work with viral vectors either as a gene therapy or as a gene modified cell therapy. Specifically, the course is aimed at those in the manufacturing of viral vectors and includes:

  • Gene/cell therapy process development
  • Cell therapy process development
  • Quality control/assurance
  • Regulatory affairs professionals
  • Final release testing.
  • Professionals in biotech
  • MedTech professionals
Register For Module 1 | Free-To-Attend

 

Module 1 of this course is free to attend and delivered online. Register to receive joining instructions for the live event, recording and presentation slides.

Register Early To Save

 

Enrol Before 4 October To Save £400

Discount has been applied to the price above. VAT, if applicable, will be added.

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Viral Vector Selection and Manufacturing for Cell and Gene Therapies

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