AaviGen, SK pharmteco Announce Manufacturing Agreement for Heart Failure Gene Therapy

The California-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) SK pharmteco, which focuses on small molecules and advanced therapies, announced on Oct. 2, 2024 that it was entering into a multi-year agreement with the German biotechnology company AaviGen to be the preferred manufacturing partner for AaviGen’s lead gene therapy product, AVG-101 (1).

According to a press release from SK pharmteco, AVG-101 is intended for the treatment of heart failure; AaviGen’s business specializes in the preclinical stage, and the company is a developer of curative gene therapies for both cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases (1).

"SK pharmteco stands out from the global pool of suppliers because of its extensive experience in process development and manufacturing of adeno-associated viral-based gene therapies,” Martin Busch, PhD, COO of AaviGen, said in the press release. “Additionally, their recent investments in expanding manufacturing capacity provide us with exceptional support from the earliest stages of development to the commercial phase, especially for common cardiac disorders, such as chronic heart failure."

“We are thrilled to partner with AaviGen on their innovative gene therapy for heart failure,” added Patrick Mahieux, SK pharmteco president of cell and gene, Europe. “Our deep expertise in viral vector manufacturing and our commitment to quality and efficiency make us the ideal partner to support the development and commercialization of this promising therapy. We look forward to contributing to the advancement of this groundbreaking treatment for patients in need.”

In the press release, AaviGen’s proprietary adeno-associated viral vector technology was described as being able to enable development of therapies to target, and reverse, underlying molecular causes of heart muscle dysfunction, by concentrating on areas such as cardioprotection, contractility, and energy metabolism (1).

AaviGen has been around just since 2019, while SK pharmteco is a subsidiary of SK Inc., the strategic investment company of SK Group, which the press release identified as the second-largest conglomerate in South Korea (1).

"SK pharmteco is a key partner for AaviGen as part of our strategy to develop and commercialize innovative gene therapies against diseases of the cardiovascular and cardiovascular system,” said Patrick Most, AaviGen CEO, in the press release. “The SK pharmteco team offered the trust, competence, and understanding of how a young company like AaviGen must operate in a dynamic market from the first minute of our interactions. We look forward to the collaboration with great confidence."

In late September 2024, SK pharmteco announced another partnership, that with the supply-chain service company, Cryoport (2). The two businesses will work together to provide biopharmaceutical companies with integrated logistics and manufacturing services—such as end-to-end cell and gene therapy services that include biomaterial collection, bioservices, data solutions, and shipping systems.

References

1. SK pharmteco. SK pharmteco and AaviGen Announce Strategic Partnership to Manufacture AaviGen’s Lead Gene Therapy Product for Heart Failure. Press Release. Oct. 2, 2024.
2. SK pharmteco. SK pharmteco and Cryoport Partner for Cell and Gene Therapy Logistics and BioServices. Press Release. Sept. 25, 2024.