Capability
Viral Vector CDMOs
Compare CDMOs with viral vector manufacturing capabilities for AAV, lentiviral, retroviral, and adenoviral vector production at GMP scale.
138 companies listed
About Viral Vector Manufacturing
Viral vector manufacturing produces the delivery vehicles for gene therapies and some vaccines. AAV (adeno-associated virus) vectors are the most in-demand, used in approved gene therapies for hemophilia, spinal muscular atrophy, and inherited retinal disease. Lentiviral vectors are used for ex vivo cell therapy manufacturing (CAR-T). Adenoviral vectors serve vaccine platforms.
Production scale and yield are the central challenges. AAV manufacturing typically uses transient transfection of HEK293 cells or baculovirus/Sf9 insect cell systems, with titers significantly lower than monoclonal antibody production. Downstream processing (purification, concentration, formulation) is complex due to the need to separate full from empty capsids, remove host cell DNA, and achieve high purity while maintaining vector potency.
Companies (138)
Guangzhou Packgene Biotechnology Co Ltd (PackGene)
China
PackGene Biotech is a Chinese cell and gene therapy CRO and CDMO providing comprehensive AAV, lentivirus, mRNA, and plasmid services from discovery through GMP manufacturing. The company operates a 120,000 sq ft GMP facility for viral vector production and has served over 1,000 clients globally with more than 50,000 projects delivered.
Viral VectorsmRNA ProductionAnalytical Services
Histocell
Spain
Histocell is a Spanish clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and CDMO specializing in regenerative medicine and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). Based in the Basque Country, the company develops and manufactures cell therapy products from iPSCs, MSCs, secretomes, and exosomes. Histocell recently achieved GMP certification from AEMPS for iPSC manufacturing in partnership with REPROCELL, and has produced over 350 GMP batches treating approximately 300 patients from its 800 m2 EMA-registered facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main AAV manufacturing platforms?+
Two dominant platforms exist: (1) Transient transfection of HEK293 cells (triple plasmid transfection), which offers flexibility but faces scale-up challenges with plasmid costs and transfection efficiency at large volumes. (2) Baculovirus/Sf9 insect cell system (Bac-to-AAV), which scales more readily in suspension culture but requires baculovirus stock management. A third approach -- stable producer cell lines -- is emerging as a scalable alternative that eliminates the need for plasmid DNA.
Why is the full/empty capsid ratio important?+
AAV manufacturing produces a mixture of full capsids (containing the therapeutic gene) and empty capsids (lacking the gene payload). High empty capsid content reduces potency per dose and may trigger immune responses. Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and cryo-EM are used to measure the full/empty ratio. Downstream purification steps (cesium chloride ultracentrifugation, ion exchange chromatography, or affinity chromatography) separate full from empty capsids, but achieving >80% full capsids remains technically challenging.
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