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New Nanosensing Technique Transforms Quality Control for Viral Vectors in Gene Therapy

Nanotechnology

viral vectors, nanosensing technique, gene therapy, adeno-associated virus

Business Honor
02 August, 2024

To improve the quality of gene therapy, Japanese researchers have developed a new nanosensing technique for identifying both functioning and defective viral vectors.

The introduction of an innovative nanosensing approach by Japanese researchers has made significant progress the field of gene therapy by improving the quality control of viral vectors, particularly adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. This new approach allows for single-particle distinction between functioning and defective viral vectors, as described in a publication published in *ACS Nano* on June 5, 2024.

The research team, including experts from Osaka University, Nagoya University, and The University of Tokyo, developed a technique that measures ionic current variations as viral vectors pass through a nanopore. The presence of a viral particle temporarily disrupts the ionic current, allowing for precise identification of full-genome AAV vectors versus partially filled or empty ones.

Compared to expensive and complicated standard quality control techniques like electron microscopy and mass photometry, the new method promises to be a major improvement. This method could improve the safety and effectiveness of gene therapies by offering a more effective and economical way to ensure vector quality, possibly lowering patient dosages and decreasing side effects.

This development holds promise for the manufacturing and purification of AAV vectors, as well as for the research of additional viral vectors, which will advance the fields of gene therapy and viral biology.