Lexeo Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXEO) announced plans to present new data on its advanced adeno-associated virus (AAV) manufacturing platform at the upcoming 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT). The meeting will take place May 13-17, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The presentations will showcase Lexeo's optimized Sf9-baculovirus manufacturing process, which the company reports can significantly improve production scalability and reduce costs while maintaining the purity and potency essential for gene therapy applications.
"The data being presented at ASGCT underscore the strength of our industry-leading capabilities in AAV manufacturing with high yield and high quality," said José Manuel Otero, Chief Technical Officer of Lexeo Therapeutics. "Scientists at Lexeo have optimized a manufacturing platform that can maintain purity and potency while significantly improving scalability of production and reducing cost."
Otero emphasized the strategic importance of these advancements, noting that "Ultimately this platform will enable Lexeo to deliver more efficiently against key milestones in our clinical-stage gene therapy programs and will help to accelerate our mission to bring potentially transformative therapies to patients as quickly as possible."
Manufacturing Innovations in Focus
Lexeo will present two posters highlighting different aspects of their manufacturing platform:
The first presentation, titled "Improving VP1 Ratios Impact on CQAs in rh10 AAV Manufactured through Sf9 Platform," will be delivered by Elena Bianchetti on Tuesday, May 13, during the evening poster reception. This research examines how optimizing viral protein ratios affects critical quality attributes in AAV serotype rh10 vectors.
The second presentation, "Development of a Novel High-Yielding Scalable Sf9-Baculovirus Platform to Produce Quality AAV at 200L Scale," will be presented by Eric Lin on Thursday, May 15. This work demonstrates Lexeo's ability to scale production to 200-liter volumes while maintaining vector quality.
Implications for Cardiovascular Gene Therapy Programs
The manufacturing advancements come at a critical time for Lexeo, which is advancing a portfolio of gene therapy candidates targeting cardiovascular diseases. The company's lead programs include LX2006 for Friedreich ataxia (FA) cardiomyopathy and LX2020 for plakophilin-2 (PKP2) arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Efficient, scalable manufacturing is widely recognized as one of the most significant challenges in bringing gene therapies from clinical development to commercial availability. By addressing these manufacturing hurdles, Lexeo aims to accelerate the development timeline for its therapeutic candidates.
AAV Manufacturing Challenges
AAV vectors have emerged as the leading delivery vehicle for gene therapies due to their safety profile and ability to provide long-term gene expression. However, manufacturing these complex biological products at scale has proven difficult across the industry.
Traditional production methods often struggle with consistency, yield, and cost-effectiveness at larger scales. Lexeo's Sf9-baculovirus system represents an alternative to mammalian cell-based production methods, potentially offering advantages in scalability and production costs.
The insect cell-based Sf9 platform has gained traction in recent years as companies seek more efficient production methods. Lexeo's optimization work appears focused on addressing some of the known challenges with this approach, including viral protein ratios that can affect vector quality and functionality.
About Lexeo Therapeutics
Lexeo Therapeutics is a New York City-based clinical-stage genetic medicine company focused on developing treatments for cardiovascular diseases. The company's approach targets the underlying genetic causes of conditions with high unmet medical need.
The company's lead candidates include LX2006 for Friedreich ataxia cardiomyopathy and LX2020 for plakophilin-2 arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. Both conditions represent serious cardiovascular disorders with limited treatment options that address the genetic basis of the disease.
Lexeo's manufacturing advancements could potentially position the company to move more efficiently through clinical development and eventually deliver therapies to patients with these devastating conditions.
