Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) and Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, announced a gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) collaboration, providing plasmid DNA for AAV production and in vitro efficacy studies.

“We are excited to build a strong collaboration with Gazi University,” said Kerstin Dolph, Corporate Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Charles River. “Leveraging cell and gene therapy CDMO expertise will enable the Faculty of Medicine to test and ultimately transform ground-breaking concepts into real-world therapies.”

Hyperphosphatemic tumoral calcinosis (HTC) is a rare inherited disorder causing high blood phosphate and painful, non-cancerous calcium phosphate deposits in soft tissues, especially around joints like hips, shoulders, and elbows, leading to pain, inflammation, and movement issues. It is caused by genetic defects in regulating phosphate, and Gazi University has identified GALNT3 as the responsible gene. Charles River will supply Gazi University with off-the-shelf research-grade AAV plasmids, offering a pre-manufactured and ready-to-use option for early-stage gene therapy programs. These plasmids are produced with animal component-free methods and are royalty-free, designed to accelerate projects and reduce costs.

“We are very happy to enter this strategic collaboration, bringing together academic innovation and CDMO expertise to accelerate the development of advanced therapies,” commented Prof. Fatih Ezgü, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Head of the Department of Pediatric Genetics at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine. “This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to pioneer transformative therapies for rare diseases, and we look forward to the progress we can achieve together.”

Cell and Gene Therapy CDMO Solutions

Committed to streamlining the development of advanced therapies from concept to cure, Charles River has established an industry-leading cell and gene therapy portfolio, integrating discovery and safety assessment services, biologics testing, and pre-clinical through commercial-scale manufacturing solutions for plasmid DNA, viral vectors, and cell therapies.