PlasmidFactory and DKFZ in vector manufacturing accord

German biopharmaceutical company PlasmidFactory, a specialist in plasmid DNA production, says it has obtained a worldwide license from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) for the marketing and manufacture of the pDG helper/packaging vector series. The pDG vectors, which were developed by Dirk Grimm and Jurgen Kleinschmidt at the DKFZ, have applications in gene therapy, including in the production of adeno-associated viral vectors.

Under the terms of the deal, PlasmidFactory gains access to multiple vector serotypes including pDG, pDM, pDP1 and pDP6, as well as versions of pDG without the heparin binding motif. The company will begin manufacturing the agents for immediate shipment, and is entitled to issue sub-licenses to other distributors worldwide. Financial terms of the deal were not provided.