Chabio Tech announced on the 7th that its U.S. subsidiary Matika Biotech has signed a contract manufacturing agreement with the U.S. bio company Child's Cure to develop and produce viral vectors, which are key raw materials for cell and gene therapies.
A viral vector is a carrier developed to inject genetic material into cells. It delivers therapeutic genes to cancer cells or diseased cells using a nearly non-toxic viral shell.
Under this contract, Matika Bio will develop processes and analytical methods necessary for the development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases and will produce adeno-associated virus (AAV9) vectors to provide to Child's Cure. Child's Cure plans to develop treatments for rare pediatric diseases such as GNAO1 (encephalopathy) and CDKL5-related disorders using the adeno-associated virus vectors produced by Matika Bio.
AAV9 is a very small virus that can infect cells without undergoing cell division, making it usable for gene therapies in hard-to-infect areas like muscles, the retina, and the central nervous system. Paul Kim, CEO of Matika Bio, noted, "Matika Bio has its own platform, allowing us to produce high-quality vectors in a short time."
Zainu Jogani, co-founder of Child's Cure, said, "We are pleased to collaborate with Matika Bio to develop treatments needed for children suffering from rare pediatric diseases."
Meanwhile, the rare disease GNAO1 is caused by mutations in chromosome genes and leads to developmental delays and seizures, along with abnormal movement patterns. CDKL5 is one of the approximately 20,000 genes we have, and when abnormalities occur in this gene, a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders, including seizures, can occur. It affects approximately one in every 40,000 to 60,000 people worldwide and is named CDKL5-related disorder after the CDKL5 gene.