AAV reference standards advance gene therapy research

Amsbio has launched a new range of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) reference standards to help researchers optimise AAV production and improve the accuracy of gene therapy studies.

AAVs are widely used for delivering DNA to target cells without carrying viral genes, making them a safe and versatile tool. However, a major challenge in production is the presence of empty viral capsids - particles that do not contain a gene payload. Even after purification, these empty capsids remain, which can affect experimental reliability and therapeutic outcomes. High-quality reference standards are essential to standardise measurements and ensure consistent, reproducible results.

The new AAV reference standards from Amsbio are thoroughly characterised, providing precise titres and well-defined full-to-empty capsid ratios. These standards are crucial for quantitative AAV production, enabling researchers to calibrate assays, validate testing methods, and maintain consistency across experiments.

Amsbio offers both full and empty capsid reference materials across multiple AAV serotypes. Full AAV standards are used to calibrate qPCR and ELISA assays, establish benchmarks for critical quality attributes, and support consistency from research to clinical applications. Empty AAV standards serve as reference points to quantify the proportion of full versus empty capsids in production batches, aiding quality control, immunogenicity assessment, and regulatory compliance.

Each AAV reference standard undergoes extensive characterisation, including ddPCR, ELISA, silver staining, and mass photometry, along with full safety testing for bioburden, mycoplasma, and endotoxin. Quantification data are traceable to ATCC Reference Standard Material, giving researchers confidence and consistency in gene therapy development, quality control, and regulatory workflows.

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