28 April 2022 – SINGAPORE. WuXi Advanced Therapies (WuXi ATU), a wholly owned subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, and A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), announced a new partnership to bring WuXi ATU’s proprietary Tetracycline-Enabled Self-Silencing Adenovirus (TESSA™) technology to the Asia-Pacific region. This partnership aims to foster scientific innovation in cell and gene therapy, and establish a joint professional development programme to train and develop the next generation of scientists and engineers in GMP manufacturing for the cell and gene therapy industry.

TESSA™ technology is a novel process for transfection-free, scalable manufacture of adeno-associated viruses (AAV) and represents a major advancement in AAV manufacturing by improving AAV yields and particle quality. TESSA™ technology produces significantly more AAV than plasmid-based manufacturing, generating enough material to address the growing demand in healthcare needs for patients suffering from cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

As part of this collaboration, WuXi ATU will supply the materials, equipment, funding, and training required to further develop and commercialise TESSA™ technology in Singapore. BTI will contribute research expertise, facilities and access to its network of partners to support WuXi ATU in its research and development in cell and gene therapy in Singapore.

“We are delighted to launch this collaboration with Singapore’s renowned Bioprocessing Technology Institute,” said David Chang, CEO of WuXi Advanced Therapies. “We hope that working together on the development and commercialisation of TESSA™ technology will be the first step in a long-term partnership.”

Dr Koh Boon Tong, Executive Director of A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute added, “With BTI’s extensive experience in bioprocessing science and engineering, we are excited to collaborate with WuXi ATU in the area of advanced cell and gene therapy and further R&D together. This is a significant step towards Singapore’s goal to be an innovative biotherapeutics bioprocessing R&D hub.”

About WuXi Advanced Therapies (WuXi ATU)

As the advanced therapies business unit of WuXi AppTec, WuXi Advanced Therapies is a Contract Testing, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CTDMO) that offers integrated platforms to transform the discovery, development, testing, manufacturing, and commercialization of cell and gene therapies. Our services and solutions accelerate time to market and support customer programs around the world. For more information, please visit https://www.advancedtherapies.com

About WuXi AppTec

As a global company with operations across Asia, Europe, and North America, WuXi AppTec provides a broad portfolio of R&D and manufacturing services that enable global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry to advance discoveries and deliver groundbreaking treatments to patients. Through its unique business models, WuXi AppTec’s integrated, end-to-end services include chemistry drug CRDMO (Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization), biology discovery, preclinical testing and clinical research services, cell and gene therapies CTDMO (Contract Testing, Development and Manufacturing Organization), helping customers improve the productivity of advancing healthcare products through cost-effective and efficient solutions. WuXi AppTec received AA ESG rating from MSCI in 2021 and its open-access platform is enabling more than 5,800 collaborators from over 30 countries to improve the health of those in need – and to realize the vision that “every drug can be made and every disease can be treated.” Please visit: http://www.wuxiapptec.com

About A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute

Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) is a research institute under A*STAR. Established in 1990, BTI is positioned as Singapore’s pillar of research and development for the biomanufacturing sector. BTI’s core capabilities span across the bioprocessing value chain, largely comprising Product Innovation, Cell Line Development, Media Development, Downstream Processing, Process Development and Scale-up, and Analytical Science & Technologies. Through strategic partnerships and application-driven research, BTI seeks to create value and impact in product markets including biologics, cell and gene therapy, exosomes, vaccines, engineered tissues, process analytical technologies and cell culture systems. For more information on BTI, visit www.a-star.edu.sg/bti.

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.

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