Abstract
Lentiviral vectors (LVs) are used in cell and gene therapies due to their ability to transduce both dividing and non-dividing cells while carrying a relatively large genetic payload and providing long-term gene expression via gene integration. Current cultivation methods produce titers of 105-107 transduction unit (TU)/mL; thus, it is necessary to concentrate LVs as well as remove process- and product-related impurities. In this work, we used a packaging cell line WinPac-RD-HV for LV production to simplify upstream processing. A direct capture method based on ion-exchange chromatography and cellulose nanofibers for LV concentration and purification was developed. This novel scalable stationary phase provides a high surface area that is accessible to LV and, therefore, has potential for high-capacity operation compared to traditional bead-based supports. We were able to concentrate LVs 100-fold while achieving a two-log removal of host cell protein and maintaining up to a 90% yield of functional vector.