WhiteLab Genomics and the Accelerator for Technological Research in Genomic Therapies Announce Their Collaboration on Artificial Intelligence for the Bioproduction of Gene Therapies

• WhiteLab Genomics, specialist in artificial intelligence (AI) dedicated to gene and cell therapies, is entering into a collaboration with ART-TG, Inserm laboratory expert in the preclinical and pharmaceutical development of ex vivo gene therapies.
• The two players are joining forces to improve the processes for the bioproduction of lentiviral gene therapy vectors using artificial intelligence.

EVRY-COURCOURONNES, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As part of this partnership, the teams from the Accelerator for technological research in genomic therapies (ART-TG, Inserm US35) and WhiteLab Genomics will use the WhiteLab Genomics CatalystTM platform to generate a database specific to the bioproduction of lentiviral vectors and which will be used to identify the parameters allowing significant increase in the quality of the vectors as well as their production yields, and to reduce the production costs.

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Scientists in a bioproduction laboratory (Photo: WhiteLab Genomics)

Cell and gene therapy represents a new biomedical approach, in full economic expansion and with the potential to treat a growing number of genetic and acquired diseases such as cancers. The pharmaceutical manufacture of these Advanced Medicinal Therapies requires acceleration in terms of standardization and process control to respond to their growth. The collaboration is focused on the production of lentiviral vectors, which are used in various gene therapy approaches including for the manufacture of CAR-T cells, because purifying lentiviral vectors remains complex and is at critical capacity. The teams will use AI to analyze multiple sources of information in order to optimize existing processes and to develop innovative processes. The approach carried out with the lentiviral vectors here, will be applicable to other bioproducts.

This project is made possible by funding from the Ile de France Region, which supports Bioproduction efforts as part of its Ile-de-France Leader Bioproduction scheme launched at the end of 2020.

What do the experts say?

“This collaboration with WhiteLab Genomics will allow us to integrate a large body of information on critical parameters and their interconnections in complex processes so that we can very rapidly adapt our experiments; a new way for us to work, to accelerate our strategic projects and to innovate ”, estimates Dr. Anne Galy, director of ART-TG.

“The collaboration with ART-TG allows us to work with global experts in the field of lentiviral vector bioproduction,” said David Del Bourgo, CEO and co-founder of WhiteLab Genomics. The work that will be carried out during this joint project will make it possible to find innovative solutions on the methods of capture and purification of vectors and to increase their yields significantly. “

About ART-TG

ART-TG is an Inserm innovation center located at the Génopole d’Evry and with a mission to promote research excellence in gene and cell therapy by facilitating the transfer of therapeutic discoveries to their clinical or industrial applications. ART-TG is a pre-industrial laboratory for testing technological innovation and for the pharmaceutical development of products and production processes. Focused more particularly on immunotherapy and hematology, ART-TG is currently leading a set of innovative projects based on the use of lentiviral vectors or CRISPR genome editing tools for ex vivo uses. ART-TG is part of the industrial integrator MAGENTA (MAnufacturing cell and GEN Therapy Advances) of the French Government Biomedicines Challenge.
More information on www.art-tg.com.

About WhiteLab Genomics

Created in 2019 by David Del Bourgo, Julien Cottineau and Lucia Cinque, WhiteLab Genomics is a French start-up specializing in artificial intelligence solutions dedicated to biotherapies such as gene and cell therapies. Its proprietary technology allows the multi-parametric analysis of complex biological data to optimize and reduce the development costs of these treatments. WhiteLab Genomics makes this unique technology available to its customers via the Catalyst ™ platform available in SaaS mode. The start-up is now located at Genopole - Evry - the first French biocluster and at Station F.

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