Ring Therapeutics has unveiled promising new data on its AnelloBricks® manufacturing platform at the 28th Annual American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) conference. The data demonstrates successful infectivity and expression of AnelloVectors produced with its in vitro assembly technology, as well as expanded payload versatility beyond the natural single-stranded DNA genome of anelloviruses.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is developing a novel approach to gene therapy manufacturing that addresses the significant challenges of traditional viral vector production methods, which are typically cumbersome and costly.
Revolutionary Manufacturing Approach
The AnelloBricks platform represents a significant departure from conventional gene therapy manufacturing processes. It utilizes a cell-free, in vitro assembled viral vector system based on commensal human anelloviruses, requiring just two components: a single recombinant capsid protein and a nucleic acid payload. This simplified approach dramatically reduces manufacturing complexity and cost.
"Ring has demonstrated the ability to encapsidate nucleic acid payloads through in vitro assembly and achieved transduction in vitro and in vivo, showing significant progress toward developing a platform to manufacture a new class of functional viral vectors at scale and low cost," said Geoffrey Parsons, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Ring Therapeutics.
The platform's modular nature allows for versatility in payload delivery, with data showing successful encapsidation of both DNA and RNA. This flexibility significantly expands the potential therapeutic applications of AnelloVectors.
Promising In Vivo Results
One of the key presentations at ASGCT highlighted the first demonstration of in vivo infectivity and expression of AnelloVectors assembled using the AnelloBricks platform. The study showed that optimization of the production process resulted in a 10-fold increase in eGFP mRNA transcripts and GFP protein in HEK293TT cells.
More importantly, when tested in a rodent eye model, the optimized production process (V2) yielded a 10-fold increase in eGFP genome copies and mRNA transcripts compared to the earlier production process (V1). The AnelloVectors successfully delivered a cssDNA payload that resulted in confirmed mRNA and protein expression in both in vitro and in vivo models.
Diverse Payload Capabilities
Another significant finding presented at the conference demonstrated the permissiveness of AnelloVectors to bind and encapsidate a diversity of nucleic acid payloads, including single and double-stranded DNA and RNA with different structures and sizes.
The researchers leveraged electrophoretic mobility shift assays and electron microscopy to determine binding and encapsidation of different nucleic acid payloads with purified capsid proteins. Several of these AnelloVectors were tested in in vitro transductions and found to be functionally active.
"The ability to encapsidate both DNA and RNA demonstrates payload versatility for our AnelloVectors that opens up vast therapeutic potential," Parsons noted. "Altogether, these data demonstrate our progress in advancing versatile in vitro-assembled AnelloVectors, taking another significant step towards delivering life-changing therapies to patients in need at significantly lower cost."
Potential to Redefine Genetic Medicine
Ring Therapeutics believes its platform has the potential to redefine the field of genetic medicine. The company points to the unique immune favorability of anelloviruses, which has been demonstrated by re-dosing of AnelloVectors, as a key advantage over existing viral vector systems.
The AnelloBricks platform is part of Ring's broader Anellogy™ platform, which focuses on using anelloviruses to potentially treat a broad range of diseases. By harnessing the unique properties of these commensal viruses, the platform generates diverse vectors that exhibit potential for tissue-specific tropism and re-dosing.
Founded in 2017, Ring Therapeutics aims to develop and further expand its portfolio by leveraging its platform to unlock the full potential of gene therapy and nucleic acid medicines, enabling a variety of mechanisms that successfully deliver therapeutic cargo to previously unreachable organs and tissues.
The company's presentations at ASGCT included one oral presentation and two poster presentations, all highlighting different aspects of the AnelloBricks platform and its potential applications in gene therapy.
Future Implications
The development of a more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective manufacturing platform for gene therapy vectors could have far-reaching implications for the field. Current manufacturing constraints represent one of the major bottlenecks in bringing gene therapies to patients, contributing to their high costs and limited availability.
If Ring Therapeutics can successfully scale its AnelloBricks platform while maintaining the demonstrated efficacy, it could help address these challenges and potentially make gene therapies more accessible to patients worldwide.
As the company continues to advance its platform, the scientific community will be watching closely to see if AnelloVectors can fulfill their promise as the next generation of viral vectors for gene therapy applications.
