ASGCT 2026 Day 3: PackGene Presents Upstream Strategies to Improve AAV Yield and Quality

BOSTON, May 14^th, 2026  —

PackGene continued to build momentum on Day 3 of the 29th American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy Annual Meeting, with a strong oral presentation, active poster discussions, and continued engagement at Booth #1531. As the conference entered its third day, PackGene connected with researchers, biotech developers, and industry partners to discuss practical challenges in AAV manufacturing, vector quality, process development, and CGT commercialization.

A key highlight of the day was PackGene’s oral presentation, “Implementation of Upstream Mitigation Strategies to Minimize Residual Plasmid Backbone and Host Cell DNA Encapsidation in rAAV Vectors,” delivered by Amos Gutnick, Associate Director, Product Development, at 9:00 AM ET in MCEC Room 258ABC. The presentation addressed one of the most important CMC challenges in AAV manufacturing: reducing unintended DNA encapsidation while maintaining robust vector productivity.

During the talk, PackGene shared upstream process strategies designed to reduce residual plasmid backbone and host cell DNA packaged inside recombinant AAV vectors. The work highlighted the use of Cre/LoxP-mediated recombination together with caspase inhibitors, showing that upstream process design can help improve vector purity while preserving high AAV yield. The presentation generated strong interest from attendees and led to in-depth discussions on how AAV manufacturing can better balance productivity, quality, and regulatory readiness.

In the afternoon poster session, PackGene presented three additional technical studies covering AAV safety, rapid CGT quality control, and rcAAV testing. Poster #2414, titled “Decoupling Efficacy from Toxicity: Engineering Spatial Control in AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy to Mitigate Hepatotoxicity,” introduced a strategy combining engineered capsids with microRNA-mediated regulation to improve spatial control of transgene expression and reduce liver toxicity while maintaining target efficacy.

PackGene also presented Poster #3215, “A Fast Extraction-Free RT-qPCR Assay Utilizing Dual DNA/RNA Targeting for Rapid Mycoplasma Detection in CGT Products,” which described a rapid, extraction-free RT-qPCR workflow designed to support faster and reliable mycoplasma screening for CGT product release. Poster #3216, “Establishment of Serotype-Specific rcAAV Reference Samples to Enhance Testing Sensitivity and Specificity for AAV Manufacturing,” focused on developing serotype-specific rcAAV reference samples to improve assay sensitivity and specificity across AAV manufacturing workflows.

Beyond the scientific sessions, PackGene’s booth remained a busy meeting point for technical exchange. Visitors brought project-specific questions related to plasmid design, high-yield AAV cell line screening, downstream purification, and comprehensive QC analysis. PackGene’s process experts and business team provided one-on-one consultation, demonstrating how the company’s integrated CRO/CDMO platform can support partners from early discovery and IND-enabling development to GMP manufacturing and commercialization.

As a reputable CRO/CDMO with more than a decade of focus on AAV technology, PackGene provides integrated solutions across vector design and construction, AAV production, lentiviral vectors, mRNA services, analytical testing, and CMC development. Supported by its proprietary π-Alpha™ 293 AAV High-Yield Platform, PackGene continues to help global partners advance scalable, high-quality, and cost-effective gene therapy programs from concept to clinic.