Production of lentiviral vectors using novel, enzymatically produced, linear DNA

The manufacture of large quantities of high-quality DNA is a major bottleneck in the production of viral vectors for gene therapy. Touchlight Genetics has developed a proprietary abiological technology that addresses the major issues in commercial DNA supply. The technology uses 'rolling-circle' amplification to produce large quantities of concatameric DNA that is then processed to create closed linear double-stranded DNA by enzymatic digestion. This novel form of DNA, Doggybone (TM) DNA (dbDNA (TM)), is structurally distinct from plasmid DNA. Here we compare lentiviral vectors production from dbDNA (TM) and plasmid DNA. Lentiviral vectors were administered to neonatal mice via intracerebroventricular injection. Luciferase expression was quantified in conscious mice continually by whole-body bioluminescent imaging. We observed long-term luciferase expression using dbDNA (TM)-derived vectors, which was comparable to plasmid-derived lentivirus vectors. Here we have demonstrated that functional lentiviral vectors can be produced using the novel dbDNA (TM) configuration for delivery in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, this could enable lentiviral vector packaging of complex DNA sequences that have previously been incompatible with bacterial propagation systems, as dbDNA (TM) technology could circumvent such restrictions through its phi29-based rolling-circle amplification.