Azenta Life Sciences and Form Bio Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance AAV Gene Therapy Development

Integrated solution aims to reduce time and cost to lead candidates, advancing safer and more effective gene therapies to patients faster.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Azenta, Inc. (Nasdaq: AZTA) today announced a strategic partnership between GENEWIZ from Azenta Life Sciences, a global provider of multiomics and synthetic solutions services, and Form Bio, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) life sciences technology company, to enhance adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy development through a fully integrated sequencing and data analysis solution.

This partnership brings together GENEWIZ's industry-leading next-generation sequencing services for AAV gene therapy with Form Bio's AI- and machine learning-powered analysis pipelines. The integration of these capabilities aims to provide gene therapy developers with data-driven insights into AAV capsid contents, improving safety, efficacy, and manufacturability.

GENEWIZ will provide synthesis and packaging of transgene expression cassettes, complemented by high-quality, long-read sequencing services for AAV gene therapy. Form Bio will conduct comprehensive AAV Genome Integrity Characterization using Long-read AAV Analysis (LAAVA) software, identifying key opportunities to enhance vector integrity and safety, while providing actionable insights through detailed reporting. This combination enables a streamlined process that integrates sequencing, vector design, and development workflows, ultimately reducing time and cost to reach lead candidates, accelerating the path to market for innovative therapies.

"Our collaboration with Form Bio marks a major step forward in simplifying AAV gene therapy workflows," said Ginger Zhou, President at GENEWIZ. "By combining our sequencing expertise with their cutting-edge analysis, we are enabling researchers to make more informed decisions and break through traditional hurdles found in gene therapy development."

"Partnering with GENEWIZ allows us to embed our genome integrity insights directly into sequencing workflows," said Andrew Busey, Co-Founder and CEO at Form Bio. "By integrating analysis earlier in the process, we're helping gene therapy developers accelerate timelines, enhance vector safety, and improve the likelihood for clinical success."

The partnership will officially launch at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) in May 2025, where both companies will be exhibiting (booth numbers 1711 and 1143). A poster highlighting their collaborative work "The Long and Short of It: Comparing Next Generation Sequencing Methods for Quality Control in AAV Development" will be presented on May 15, 5:30-7:00 pm EST, poster #1612.

About Form Bio

Form Bio delivers cutting-edge AI and computational solutions to accelerate therapeutic development in cell and gene therapy. With its proprietary FORMsightAI platform, Form Bio enables rapid in silico genome integrity characterization and optimization of nucleic acid-based therapies—streamlining lead candidate selection. By integrating AI-powered design with deep expertise in molecular biology, bioinformatics, software engineering, and data science, Form Bio empowers drug developers to enhance therapeutic safety, efficacy, and manufacturability while reducing time and costs.

Form Bio is headquartered in Austin, Texas with teams and offices throughout the US. For more information, visit www.formbio.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Azenta Life Sciences

Azenta, Inc. (Nasdaq: AZTA) is a leading provider of life sciences solutions worldwide, enabling life science organizations around the world to bring impactful breakthroughs and therapies to market faster. Azenta provides a full suite of reliable cold-chain sample management solutions and multiomics services across areas such as drug development, clinical research and advanced cell therapies for the industry's top pharmaceutical, biotech, academic and healthcare institutions globally. Our global team delivers and supports these products and services through our industry-leading brands, including GENEWIZ, FluidX, Ziath, 4titude, Limfinity, Freezer Pro, and Barkey.

Azenta is headquartered in Burlington, MA, with operations in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.azenta.com.

INVESTOR CONTACTS:
Yvonne Perron
Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Investor Relations
[email protected]

Sherry Dinsmore
[email protected]

SOURCE Azenta, Inc.