VectorBuilder partners with MaxCyte® to advance clinical-grade cell engineering
VectorBuilder, a global leader in gene delivery technologies and CDMO services, and MaxCyte, a leading, cell-engineering company providing enabling platform technologies to advance the discovery, development, and commercialization of next-generation cell therapeutics, today announced a strategic partnership focused on co-developing a new gene delivery solution using VectorBuilder’s proprietary MiniVec™ plasmid system and MaxCyte’s world-class clinical electroporation platform for ex vivo cell engineering.
Ex vivo cell therapies such as CAR-T, CAR-NK, and iPSC-based treatments have gained significant traction, but critical challenges in safety and manufacturability continue to limit their broader application. Existing gene delivery methods present significant trade-offs: traditional electroporation of conventional DNA or RNA often results in poor target cell viability or limited therapeutic durability, while lentiviral vectors, though widely used, carry high production costs and potential safety risks such as malignancy arising from vector integration into the host genome. Collectively, these constraints highlight the need for more efficient, safer, and scalable approaches to cell engineering.
The partnership between VectorBuilder and MaxCyte aims to address these challenges by developing the next-generation electroporation-based ex vivo gene delivery solution through the integration of VectorBuilder’s novel MiniVec backbone with MaxCyte’s advanced Flow Electroporation® technology. MiniVec is a miniaturized plasmid backbone that eliminates the need for antibiotic- or additive-based selection during fermentation, simplifying translation to GMP-grade production. Its reduced prokaryotic sequences have been shown to improve yield and performance across a broad range of applications. Flow Electroporation® employs a gentle, continuous-flow process that reduces cellular stress, preserving cell viability and functionality while enabling scalable, highly efficient gene delivery. This two-pronged approach is designed to deliver significantly improved cell viability and higher transfection efficiency compared to conventional models.
Preliminary data in CAR-T manufacturing demonstrated 2.4x increased cell viability and 1.4x higher gene expression compared to conventional systems. Notably, both MiniVec and Flow Electroporation® have been validated for compatibility with diverse payloads, including DNA, RNA, and RNPs, and proven efficacy across applications such as CRISPR editing, transposon-based cell engineering, and transient protein expression, with demonstrated scalability from research to clinical manufacturing. By enabling more effective and reliable cell engineering, the new platform offers a robust, adaptable, and safer approach for ex vivo gene delivery in therapeutic applications.
Maher Masoud, President and CEO of MaxCyte, said:
Cell therapy development requires delivering therapies that are manufacturable, scalable and commercially viable. By combining MaxCyte’s Flow Electroporation® technology with VectorBuilder’s MiniVec platform, we believe we can enable a new standard for non-viral gene delivery—one that enhances cell quality, improves manufacturing efficiency, and provides developers with a more streamlined path from research through commercialization.
Dr. Bruce Lahn, Founder and Chief Scientist of VectorBuilder, said:
This partnership combines our complementary strengths to establish a next-generation platform for efficient, safe, and scalable electroporation-based cell engineering for therapies such as CAR-T. As both companies have extensive expertise in GMP-compliant clinical development solutions, the combined platform is well aligned to enable a seamless development pipeline from clinical trials through to commercialization. Our aim is to provide a platform delivering high-end performance with an optimal cost-of-goods and price-per-dose model to ease scale-up, commercial strategy, and fundraising efforts for drug developers.
