Heidelberg, Germany – April 8, 2023 – AaviGen, a preclinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of curative gene therapies for cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases, announced the completion of its comprehensive cardiac-specific AAV vector development phase. Employing its next-generation Cardiac AAV Platform (next- CAP) that utilizes various human-relevant species, including non-human primates, AaviGen successfully engineered more than 70 proprietary capsids with the desired cardiac tropism and optimally ablated transduction propensity towards non-cardiac organs or tissues (e.g., liver, or dorsal root ganglions).
“We are extremely excited to see the achievements of our versatile cross-species next-CAP platform” said Dr. Martin Busch, COO and head of the R&D team. “Our scientific team has done an exceptional job designing a high-performance experimental/bioinformatic pipeline and successfully executing an elaborate developmental plan that addressed the challenges associated with such a complex endeavor. Our novel capsids have been engineered to target the heart specifically, which is crucial for AAV-based gene therapies that are applied systemically. This targeted approach can be further enhanced with suitable transcriptional control elements, such as cardiomyocyte-specific promoters, to optimize the expression specificity and strength of the therapeutic gene cassette, thereby countering the diverse molecular causes of either acquired or hereditary heart diseases.” Dr. Busch concluded.
About AaviGen
AaviGen was founded in 2019 on the understanding that successful gene therapy requires optimized delivery of therapeutic targets to the diseased heart. AaviGen’s scientific approach is documented in numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and validated by its founders’ track record in scientific innovations for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac diseases, including gene therapy medicinal products. For more information, please see: www.aavigen.com
AaviGen Investor and Media Contact
Prof. Dr. Marc Lerchenmüller, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director AaviGen, Heidelberg, Germany
T: +49 6221 568900
M: +49 151 51646589
marc.lerchenmueller@aavigen.com
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