Kytopen and Bio-Techne Collaborate on an Integrated Cellular Engineering Workflow to Expedite Cell Therapy Manufacturing

Rhea-AI Summary

Bio-Techne (NASDAQ: TECH) and Kytopen have announced a partnership to enhance cell therapy manufacturing through integrated cellular engineering workflow. The collaboration combines Bio-Techne's TcBuster™ GMP non-viral genome engineering system with Kytopen's Flowfect Tx™ GMP cellular engineering platform.

The TcBuster™ system enables simultaneous delivery of multiple genes with high editing efficiency in a single vector, while Flowfect® technology processes billions of cells in minutes using a combination of mechanical, electrical, and chemical forces. Together, these technologies aim to streamline gene delivery processes and accelerate the development of advanced cell therapies.

The companies will present their collaborative data at the International Society of Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, May 7-10, 2025.

Positive

• Integration of TcBuster and Flowfect technologies enables processing of billions of cells in minutes
• TcBuster system allows delivery of multiple genes simultaneously with high editing efficiency
• Combined technologies offer streamlined non-viral gene delivery process for faster therapeutic doses
• Platform suitable for various immune cell types, particularly non-dividing and apoptosis-sensitive cells

Negative

• None.

Insights

Biotechnology Expert

Bio-Techne partners with Kytopen to streamline cell therapy manufacturing with complementary non-viral gene delivery technologies, addressing key industry bottlenecks.

This strategic partnership between Bio-Techne and Kytopen combines two complementary technologies addressing critical bottlenecks in cell therapy manufacturing. The collaboration integrates Bio-Techne's TcBuster™ non-viral genome engineering system with Kytopen's Flowfect® continuous flow cellular engineering platform, creating a streamlined workflow with significant advantages over traditional methods.

The technical synergies are particularly noteworthy. Bio-Techne's TcBuster™ enables high-efficiency integration of large, multigene cargos in a single vector - a substantial improvement over conventional approaches. Meanwhile, Kytopen's Flowfect® technology provides gentle, high-throughput processing of billions of cells in minutes by combining mechanical, electrical, and chemical forces in a tunable system.

This partnership addresses a significant pain point in the cell therapy industry. Current viral vector-based engineering methods face limitations in manufacturing scale, cost, and safety profiles. The combined non-viral approach offers particular advantages for engineering immune cells that are non-dividing or sensitive to apoptosis - cell types that have historically been challenging to modify efficiently.

The GMP designation of both platforms positions them for clinical and commercial applications rather than just research use. This timing aligns with industry trends toward more efficient, scalable manufacturing solutions as more cell therapies progress through clinical development.

For Bio-Techne, this partnership enhances their cell and gene therapy tools portfolio in a high-growth market segment. While the immediate financial impact isn't quantifiable from the announcement alone, it represents a strategic expansion of capabilities in an area experiencing significant investment and development activity.

• Kytopen and Bio-Techne announce partnership on an integrated cellular engineering workflow to expedite cell therapy manufacturing.
• The TcBuster™ system offers a fast and scalable method to integrate large, multigene cargos with high editing efficiency in a single vector, while Flowfect^® continuous flow technology enables the gentle, high-efficiency processing of billions of cells in minutes.
• The companies' combined technologies deliver high gene insertion efficiencies and high cell viabilities, enabling a non-viral gene-editing workflow ideal for the development of advanced cell therapies.
• The data will be presented in a poster at ISCT, May 7-10, 2025, in New Orleans.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and MINNEAPOLIS, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kytopen Corp., a leader in providing continuous flow cellular engineering technologies and Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH), a leading provider of innovative life science research tools today announced a partnership aimed at streamlining gene delivery solutions for the development and manufacture of advanced cell therapies. The collaboration will focus on the synergies developers can achieve by utilizing the TcBuster™ GMP non-viral genome engineering system and the Flowfect Tx™ GMP cellular engineering platform. Together, these technologies offer a clear path to shortened workflows for generating more efficient genome engineering of immune cell therapies, expediting their advancement to clinical stages and subsequent manufacturing.

Non-viral TcBuster offers numerous benefits over traditional lentivirus-based engineering methods. The hyperactive TcBuster transposase enables delivery of multiple genes simultaneously while maintaining high editing efficiency and a de-risked insertional profile. Flowfect^® technology is a highly tunable system. It is unique in that it combines mechanical, electrical, and chemical forces, and allows the adjustment of multiple parameters to maximize transfection efficiency, cell health, and cell yield, while continuous flow enables the processing of hundreds of billions of healthy, high-quality engineered cells in just minutes. Together these technologies provide a streamlined gene delivery process that can achieve therapeutic doses quicker.

"We are excited about the opportunity to work with such a reputable life science provider as Bio-Techne", said Kevin Gutshall, Chief Commercial Officer at Kytopen, "Together our technologies offer a non-viral, gene-editing platform suitable for a range of immune cell types, in particular non-dividing cells and those sensitive to apoptosis, that will enable developers to bring more effective, advanced cell therapies to market quicker."

Data generated through the collaboration will be presented at the International Society of Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting, May 7-10, 2025, in New Orleans, USA. The data will also be featured in Kytopen's Global Showcase Oral Presentation on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6:00pm. For more information at ISCT, the Kytopen and Bio-techne teams will be available to answer any questions at booths 347 and booth 932, respectively.

ISCT Poster Presentation. Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 6:00pm; POSTER BOARD: 1105

CONTINUOUS FLOW TRANSFECTION WITH FLOWFECT^® TECHNOLOGY AS AN EFFICIENT, NON-VIRAL TECHNOLOGY FOR SCALABLE CRISPR-MEDIATED ENGINEERING OF PRIMARY T CELLS  

Global Showcase. 15 min Presentation, Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6:00pm

A FULLY VALIDATED, NON-VIRAL GMP PLATFORM FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ENGINEERED CELLS AT CLINICAL AND COMMERCIAL SCALE

For further information:

Kytopen:

Investor Contact:
Michael Chiu PhD., CEO
mchiu@kytopen.com

Business and Corporate Development Contact:
Kevin Gutshall, CCO
kgutshall@kytopen.com

About Kytopen:

The innovative leader in non-viral, continuous flow cellular engineering technologies, Kytopen, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is transforming how cell therapies are manufactured by maximizing yields, delivering hundreds of billions of engineered cells in minutes – faster than any other technology – and thereby accelerating the discovery, development, and manufacture of advanced engineered cell therapies. Its Flowfect^® cellular engineering technology is highly tunable, gentle on cells, and has demonstrated performance across a range of cell types, payloads, and therapeutic applications. Kytopen has recently disclosed strategic partnerships with industry-leading biotechnology companies, contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), and cell therapy-focused medical centers. Kytopen continues to engage strategic partners and is committed to enabling their partners' success by providing innovative technology and developing close collaborative relationships to bring lifesaving, next generation cell therapies to patients worldwide. www.kytopen.com

Bio-Techne
David Clair, Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
david.clair@bio-techne.com 
612-656-4416

About Bio-Techne

Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) is a global life sciences company providing innovative tools and bioactive reagents for the research and clinical diagnostic communities. Bio-Techne products assist scientific investigations into biological processes and the nature and progress of specific diseases. They aid in drug discovery efforts and provide the means for accurate clinical tests and diagnoses. With hundreds of thousands of products in its portfolio, Bio-Techne generated approximately $1.2 billion in net sales in fiscal 2024 and has approximately 3,100 employees worldwide. For more information on Bio-Techne and its brands, please visit http://www.bio-techne.com or follow the Company on social media at Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.

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SOURCE Kytopen

FAQ

What is the partnership between Bio-Techne (TECH) and Kytopen focused on?

The partnership focuses on streamlining gene delivery solutions by combining Bio-Techne's TcBuster™ GMP system with Kytopen's Flowfect Tx™ platform to expedite cell therapy manufacturing.

What are the key benefits of Bio-Techne's TcBuster system for cell therapy?

TcBuster offers high editing efficiency, ability to deliver multiple genes simultaneously, and a de-risked insertional profile compared to traditional lentivirus-based engineering methods.

How does Kytopen's Flowfect technology enhance cell therapy manufacturing?

Flowfect technology combines mechanical, electrical, and chemical forces to process billions of cells in minutes while maintaining high transfection efficiency, cell health, and yield.

When and where will Bio-Techne and Kytopen present their collaboration data?

The data will be presented at the International Society of Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, May 7-10, 2025.