Basel, Switzerland, 12 May 2026 – Lonza today announced the launch of its new Xcite adeno‑associated virus (AAV) stable producer cell line (PCL) technology designed to help gene therapy developers address challenges with scalability, cost of goods and process robustness as programs progress toward commercialisation. Xcite AAV PCL platform reduces the variability, operational complexity and scale-up risks often associated with traditional transient transfection-based AAV manufacturing, which become more pronounced as programs advance toward larger patient populations or higher dosing requirements.
The new Xcite AAV PCL platform is based on Lonza’s proprietary manufacturing approach in which all of the AAV-producing components are stably integrated into a cell line. Through beta testing with a clinically relevant gene of interest and an engineered capsid, the technology has demonstrated a 10‑ to 15‑fold increase in titer compared with transient transfection methods. Improved performance, combined with consistent product characteristics and process robustness, helps advance indications aimed at larger patient populations or ones requiring substantially higher dosing levels, including oncology and neurodegenerative diseases.
Customers interested in assessing the manufacturability of their therapeutics can access Xcite AAV PCL platform through Lonza Process Development laboratories for early go/no-go decision-making. By offering a more predictable and scalable alternative to multi-plasmid transient transfection, the platform is designed to reduce process variability, facilitate smoother technical transfer, and significantly reduce cost of goods (COGS). The new Xcite AAV PCL platform can also be in-licensed by gene therapy developers who want to use a scalable and robust technology in their own labs for their product development efforts.
Senthil Ramaswamy, Vice President, Research & Development, Specialised Modalities, Lonza, commented: “Xcite AAV PCL platform represents the culmination of years of Lonza innovation and hands‑on experience in AAV manufacturing. We’ve embedded this expertise into a robust platform designed to help gene therapy developers who are planning ahead for future commercial demand to overcome manufacturing bottlenecks. The technology has the potential to easily scale up processes to reduce COGS by 80% or more through raw material efficiencies, scalable manufacturing, and productivity gains.”
