BRIEF—Novasep and Handl sign gene therapy product development and manufacturing deal

Belgian companies Novasep and Handl Therapeutics have signed an agreement for the development and manufacturing of an adeno associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy drug candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Handl is developing multiple therapeutic AAV-based programs in collaboration with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, with the Center for Applied Medical Research of the University of Navarra, Spain, and with the Biomedical Neuroscience Institute of the University of Chile. The company is currently conducting invesrigational new drug (IND)-enabling pre-clinical studies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Novasep will develop and manufacture AAV vectors designed for these programs and will supply drug substance and drug product to support Handl Therapeutics’ preclinical and clinical studies.

Michael Linden, co-founder and head of research and development at Handl, said: “We are excited to engage with Novasep to develop GMP manufacture capabilities for our novel gene therapies and are happy to have identified an outstanding partner right on our doorstep here in Belgium.

Cedric Volanti, Novasep’s president of biopharma solutions, said: “This new agreement recognizes Novasep’s expertise in the field of viral vectors and will contribute to the important development of the cell and gene therapy market in Belgium.”