Development of a Novel, Eco-Friendly Mechanical Cell Lysis Process Using Hollow Fiber Filter for AAV Manufacturing

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy is a transformative treatment for genetic disorders, providing a clinically proven in vivo delivery system capable of vectorizing diverse payloads-including therapeutic proteins, antibodies or fragments, and nucleic acids such as ASOs and siRNAs. Manufacturing AAVs presents distinct challenges, particularly the need for effective cell lysis to recover intracellular AAV particles. Traditional lysis methods, including detergent-based approaches like Triton X-100 and Tween 20 (polysorbate 20), and mechanical approaches such as microfluidization, struggle with scalability, regulatory compliance, and insufficient lysis efficiency. To overcome these challenges, we developed a novel mechanical cell lysis (MCL) method using hollow fiber filters that can be implemented for single use manufacturing. The innovative basis of design had to be commercially feasible for implementation in a single use facility as well as being designed to be environmentally friendly, scalable, and fully compatible with GMP standards. In this publication, we share the development and implementation of MCL showcasing success proof of concept, followed by detailed parameter optimization and rigorous product quality assessment, and finally with the successful at scale-up implementation at 500 L for two cell types proving the ability to use for different production platforms. In conclusion, MCL offers substantial advantages over conventional lysis methods, including enhanced versatility, robustness, environmental sustainability, and simplicity in deployment, positioning it as a superior option for large-scale AAV production.