CONGRATS to Lex and 𝟲𝟰𝘅𝗕𝗶𝗼 on your Series A 🧬 […]

CONGRATS to Lex and 𝟲𝟰𝘅𝗕𝗶𝗼 on your Series A 🧬

The company uses machine learning to genetically optimize cell lines for virus manufacturing productivity. These viruses are the delivery vector for gene therapies, and manufacturing is a major bottleneck for the industry.

George Church: “Until now, genetic tailoring of manufacturing cells has failed to deliver. Overcoming the cellular barriers to viral production will require many cellular mutations in combination, which means testing potentially trillions of mutant cells. Existing cell line engineering and screening technologies have not been up to the challenge.” — https://endpts.com/a-george-church-spinout-fighting-the-viral-vector-bottleneck-in-cell-and-gene-therapy-lands-55m/

And an overview from: https://news.crunchbase.com/news/64x-bio-55m-gene-therapy-manufacturing/

San Francisco-based gene therapy biotech company 64x Bio has raised $55 million to advance its gene therapy manufacturing platform, which company officials and investors say could “revolutionize the economics and accessibility of gene therapy.”

The raise comes as many investors say gene therapy is poised to make waves in the biotech industry. The technology has made enormous strides in recent years to become a new option to help treat or cure chronic or severe illnesses, injuries and possibly even change the way we age.

But in many ways, its impact is still theoretical because the industry is facing a major roadblock to scaling: Manufacturing simply hasn’t kept up when it comes to viral vectors, the critical tools molecular biologists use to put genetic material into cells.

That’s where 64x Bio comes in, according to company CEO and founder Alexis Rovner. “This is a really hard problem, because … human cells have evolved to avoid vector production or virus production,” Rovner told Crunchbase News in a recent interview. “So, any mutation to these cells that forces them to make more of this material is going to be rare and it’s very likely that we would need to test more possibilities than there are stars in the universe. … We’re inventing a new technology to solve that problem.”

From an investor’s point of view, 64x Bio is not only interesting on its own, but also has the potential to help grow and increase the value of the entire gene therapy industry.

Company: https://www.64xbio.com