NIIMBL Announces RFA for Optimizing Long-read Next-generation Sequencing Capabilities

, /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is pleased to announce a Request for Applications (RFA) to participate in its Viral Vector Program's initiative on optimizing long-read next-generation sequencing (NGS) capabilities.

With the emergence of gene therapies as a treatment option for a variety of health conditions, the biopharmaceutical industry has a need for reproducible assays to assess the quality of AAV-based gene therapy vectors. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a promising technology for sequence confirmation of viral genome and detection of contaminating DNA. The goal of this RFA is to fund a team who will determine the capabilities of long-read NGS based methods to serve as characterization and potentially quality control methods for AAV-based viral vectors. The outcome of this project will be published to facilitate broad improvements in the safety, and potentially efficacy, of novel gene therapies.

"We have seen the powerful therapeutic potential of gene therapies demonstrated across a number of disease areas already. For the benefit of all patients and their families, we want to accelerate access to genetic medicines and grow this segment of the industry. The development of reproducible characterization and quality assays, like the long-read NGS that we are funding here, will aid in advancing these programs with lower risk and overall better patient outcomes," said Chris Williams, NIIMBL Viral Vector Co-Lead.

The NIIMBL Viral Vector Program, the sponsor of this RFA, is a collaboration between industry, academia, and government agencies to bring together an open-access AAV vector manufacturing and analytics platform. The program was initiated in response to the cost, time, and skill barriers in the way of sustainable development of gene therapies for prevalent indications and ultra-rare diseases. The team is committed to prioritizing industry-leading pharmaceutical technologies, ensuring that academic, non-profit, and philanthropically funded research can access and contribute to the growth and stability of the broader industry.

NIIMBL intends to fund one project through this RFA, with the selected project eligible to receive funding up to $400,000. This opportunity is open to NIIMBL members only.

The submission deadline is April 3, 2025, at 5 pm ET.

Download the full RFA and learn more about this opportunity on the RFA2025.1 page.

To learn more about NIIMBL, including how to be a member, visit NIIMBL.org.

About NIIMBL

The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation, support the development of standards that enable more efficient and rapid manufacturing capabilities, and educate and train a world-leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce, fundamentally advancing U.S. competitiveness in this industry. NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA®, a network of federally sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes, and is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce with significant additional support from its members.

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SOURCE National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL)