Latus Bio, a biotechnology company focused on advancing AAV gene therapy, has announced the publication of groundbreaking research in Science Translational Medicine detailing the development of AAV-Ep+, a novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid variant engineered for robust brain transduction.
The study, led by Latus founder and Scientific Advisory Board Chair, Dr. Beverly Davidson, reveals that AAV-Ep+ demonstrates unprecedented potency in transducing ependymal cells lining the brain ventricles and cerebral neurons in both mice and non-human primates (NHPs). This significant advancement enables transduced cells to function as effective protein production sites, secreting substantial amounts of soluble proteins into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for widespread distribution throughout the central nervous system (CNS).
"This breakthrough in AAV capsid engineering represents a critical advancement in the field of gene therapy," said Dr. Davidson. "AAV-Ep+ offers a highly efficient, low-dose solution for brain-wide protein delivery, opening new possibilities for treating neurodevelopmental diseases like CLN2 disease and beyond."
Superior Transduction Capabilities
The AAV-Ep+ capsid variant was identified through a high-throughput, unbiased screening of a large and diverse AAV variant library in NHPs. The research team documented several remarkable properties that distinguish this novel capsid from existing alternatives:
The capsid demonstrates exceptional tropism, efficiently transducing cells lining the ventricular system of the brain and spinal cord in adult NHPs and mice, as well as neurons in cortical brain regions relevant to many diseases.
Importantly, AAV-Ep+ exhibits robust cross-species activity, showing strong transduction of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived human neurons and mice, surpassing naturally occurring AAV serotypes. This cross-species efficacy suggests the potential for sustained and therapeutic protein expression in human brain cells.
Therapeutic Potential for Lysosomal Storage Disorders
Researchers demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of AAV-Ep+ in a model of lysosomal storage disorder (LSD). Low-dose administration of AAV-Ep+ expressing human tripeptidyl peptidase (hTPP1) in TPP1-deficient mice (a model of CLN2 disease, an LSD) and NHPs resulted in CSF and brain tissue levels of hTPP1 significantly exceeding those achieved with natural AAV capsids.
The protein levels reached potentially multi-fold above therapeutic levels needed for CLN2 patients, suggesting that a single administration of gene therapies encoding protein treatments could lead to long-term benefits for patients with LSDs and other neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
Advancing Gene Therapy Development
The study highlights Latus Bio's capsid discovery platform and its ability to identify optimized AAV variants for specific tissue and cell targeting. This capability aims to improve the translational success of gene therapies by addressing key challenges in delivery and efficacy.
Latus Bio is continuing to advance its pipeline of novel AAV capsids targeting other CNS regions, including the cortex, cerebellum, and spinal cord, as well as peripheral tissues such as the ear, eye, heart, kidney, and muscle. The company's goal is to develop transformative gene therapies for genetically defined diseases with high unmet medical needs.
The development of AAV-Ep+ represents a significant step forward in the field of gene therapy, potentially enabling more effective treatments for a range of neurological conditions that currently have limited therapeutic options.
