VectorBuilder Archives - Medical Design Sourcing

Kristofer Mussar on VectorBuilder’s ethical imperative in gene delivery

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As genetic technologies unlock new possibilities, companies like VectorBuilder aim to navigate progress responsibly, guided by a strong moral compass. “Ethics to me is the one thing that really is so, so important,” said Kristofer Mussar, managing director of VectorBuilder GmbH. “I have such a high ethical threshold I make decisions that are sometimes not the best business decisions, but they are the right ethical decisions.”

VectorBuilder offers an array of products and services, including vector design, vector cloning, plasmid DNA preparation, AAV capsid evolution, mRNA gene delivery systems, and CDMO services. Its international customer base includes thousands of labs and biotech/pharma companies.

In business practices, especially in a field such as gene delivery, ethics are tantamount. “If you have very strong ethics, that means you have trust,” he explained. “If everybo…

Unicorn gene-delivery firm VectorBuilder eyes future breakthroughs

This image from VectorBuilder showcases a comparative study of luciferase expression in various mouse organs, highlighting the targeted gene delivery capabilities of Anti-CD31 conjugated LNP-mRNA. Controls include IgG2a-conjugated FLuc LNP-mRNA and naked FLuc mRNA.

Genetic tools are growing more powerful by the day and hold immense medical promise. Kristofer Mussar, managing director of VectorBuilder GmbH who holds a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and epigenetics, noted that in the wake of the pandemic, genetic research requires increased awareness and ethical stewardship to responsibly tap into its power. While the current financial climate poses challenges, “the future is very bright in the cloning world and gene delivery,” Mussar noted. “At VectorBuilder, we’re all about innovation and having our finger on the pulse. We’re always focusing on the next thing.”

Earlier this y…

VectorBuilder and Landau join forces to create primate gene therapy research center

Recombinant vector specialist VectorBuilder and Landau Biotechnology, which develops nonhuman primate models for clinical research, have entered into a strategic partnership. The two companies will collaborate on establishing a primate gene therapy R&D center.

VectorBuilder is based in Chicago and has facilities in Germany, Japan and China. Landau Biotechnology is headquartered in China.

The center will focus on the development of platforms for vector screening and optimization and offer a range of contract research organization–based services for cell- and gene-therapy companies. It will also offer in vivo screening of nonhuman primate to identify potential gene delivery vectors for human clinical use.

Nonhuman primate vectors have received attention during the COVID-19 pandemic given the use of such technology in the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Specifically, the vaccine uses a modified chimpanzee adenovirus ChAdOx1 vector developed at the …