WACKER and start-up Gearbox Biosciences announce strategic collaboration
The partnership aims to co-develop technologies set to revolutionize manufacturing of plasmid DNA (pDNA)
Wacker Chemie AG and OÜ Gearbox Biosciences announced a strategic collaboration. Gearbox Biosciences, based in Estonia, are pioneers in the antibiotic-free microbial production of biologics. This partnership aims to co-develop technologies that will revolutionize the manufacturing of pDNA, the critical starting material for advanced mRNA therapies and vaccines, gene or gene-modified cell therapies, as well as vector-delivered therapies.
High-quality pDNA serves as a foundational source of genetic information in the development of life-saving therapies, yet current manufacturing processes face challenges in terms of scalability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. By combining WACKER’s expertise in GMP manufacturing of biologics, including pDNA, with Gearbox Bioscience’s innovative solutions for antibiotic-free plasmid proliferation, this collaboration seeks to address these challenges while aiming to set new industry standards.
“We are thrilled to partner with Gearbox Biosciences to accelerate the development of next-generation plasmid DNA manufacturing technologies,” said Ralph Krafczyk, nucleic acids expert at WACKER R&D. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to continuously enhance our proprietary PLASMITEC® toolbox in order to provide even greater benefits to our clients, who develop cutting edge therapies that are aimed at improving the life of patients worldwide.”
WACKER previously developed an antibiotic-free system for recombinant pharmaceutical protein, leveraging its ESETEC® (E. coli secretion technology) platform. The joint effort with GEA will focus on innovative workflows for antibiotic-free plasmid DNA manufacturing and difficult-to-produce pDNA products. By leveraging the complementary strengths of both partners, the collaboration is focused on delivering solutions that are more sustainable than current technologies, while also providing superior quality and reduced timelines.
“We are excited to collaborate with WACKER to bring newly developed technology from the lab to industrial scale,” said Arvi Jõers, co-founder and CEO of Gearbox Biosciences. “Our proprietary Pop-Out-Plasmid® technology is already in use in antibiotic-free protein production and now we are applying it to plasmid production as well. Eliminating the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance through pDNA is a great relief for regulatory agencies and society.”
The collaboration is already underway, with initial milestones including the evaluation of Gearbox Biosciences innovative Pop-Out-Plasmid® technology within the PLASMITEC® toolbox. Both partners are committed to fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, with the shared goal of advancing the field of biologics manufacturing to improve the accessibility of raw materials for the development and application of next-generation therapies, and to facilitate clinical translation from bench to bedside. The recently opened WACKER Biotechnology Center at WACKER’s central research and development site in Munich offers excellent conditions for this project.
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