Bio-Rad expands its cell and gene therapy portfolio

Bio-Rad has announced the launch of two products for the droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) platforms. The ddPCR Assays for AAV Viral Titer and the Vericheck ddPCR Mycoplasma Detection Kit support the development and manufacture of safe and effective cell and gene therapies.

Accurate quantification of gene therapies is critical for safe and effective patient dosing. Bio Rad's sensitive ddPCR Assays for AAV Viral Titer run on the company's QX200 Droplet Digital PCR System or the QX ONE Droplet Digital PCR System deliver an accurate and absolute count of the adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector in a sample. The assays are available on the "Droplet Digital PCR Assays" area of Bio-Rad's website, where customers can purchase off-the-shelf assays for common viral vectors and plasmids used in gene therapies. They can also generate a new custom design for their gene of interest in minutes.

Gene therapies are inherently at risk of contamination from Mycoplasma, a pathogenic genus of bacteria, during the production process and therefore must be carefully monitored to ensure contaminants are not present in the final product. Bio-Rad's Vericheck ddPCR Mycoplasma Detection Kit runs on the company's ddPCR platforms to deliver accurate results with significantly fewer false positives compared to quantitative PCR methods.

"The expansion of our ddPCR product portfolio in the cell and gene therapy space reflects our overall commitment to addressing the global need for safe and effective therapeutics," said Simon May, PhD, Bio-Rad SVP and General Manager, Digital Biology Group. "As cell and gene therapies move forward in greater numbers, we will provide our expertise and leadership in digital PCR, offering industry-tailored solutions that simplify product development and manufacturing processes," he added.

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