Touchlight and GSK sign license agreement for use of enzymatic dbDNA production technology for mRNA manufacturing
Published: 23 July 2024
Agreement enables GSK access to enzymatic production technology for rapid GMP production of DNA template for mRNA vaccine manufacturing
Hampton, UK, 23 July 2024
Touchlight, an innovation-driven CDMO pioneering enzymatic DNA production to enable the genetic medicine revolution, today announced a license agreement with GSK, a global leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. This agreement grants GSK non-exclusive rights to use Touchlight’s proprietary enzymatic dbDNA™ (doggybone DNA™) technology for the development and production of mRNA-based products.
The license will enable GSK to access the leading technology for rapid and scalable GMP production of DNA, with the potential to accelerate substantially the production of multivalent mRNA vaccines, including for use against seasonal epidemics and pandemic threats. While financial terms of the agreement are undisclosed, the deal includes an upfront payment, ongoing technology access fees, clinical and regulatory milestone payments and royalties on GSK’s mRNA products manufactured with Touchlight’s enzymatic dbDNA.
Touchlight’s dbDNA technology can produce high-purity GMP DNA using an enzymatic process, offering a faster, more scalable alternative to traditional plasmid DNA production. dbDNA is particularly well suited for mRNA vaccine development, as it enables rapid and efficient production of the DNA templates required for mRNA synthesis.
In 2023 Touchlight brought online its state-of-the-art multi-kg production facility, and now has numerous client products that have implemented dbDNA for clinical development, including three with accepted IND/CTAs. In addition to being deployed as both a critical starting material for mRNA production and within AAV products, dbDNA will enter clinical development later in 2024 as an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient for a therapeutic cancer vaccine, alongside multiple other anticipated INDs across various modalities.
“GSK is a global leader in vaccination, and we are delighted they have licensed our proprietary enzymatic dbDNA™ technology for the development and production of their mRNA-based products. The adoption of Touchlight’s enzymatic DNA is gathering pace and becoming an important part of the advanced therapy supply chain. Our technology delivers the speed, scalability and high-quality DNA products that are essential for the next generation of mRNA therapeutics”.
Jonny Ohlson, Executive Chair and Founder of Touchlight
About Touchlight
Touchlight is an innovation-driven leading CDMO pioneering enzymatic GMP DNA production to enable the genetic medicine revolution. As pioneers, with an FDA Drug Master File accepted in 2022 followed in 2025 with the world’s first cell-free DNA GMP license, Touchlight’s enzymatic DNA technology is on the cutting edge of AAV, mRNA, DNA vaccine, and gene editing technology with its state-of-the-art facility recognised by ISPE’s Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) for Innovation.
With multiple client products already in the clinic, Touchlight’s evidence-based, synthetic DNA manufacturing solutions offer a scalable, sustainable alternative to plasmid DNA (pDNA) for all stages of pre-clinical, clinical and commercial development. The company and technology are built on the conviction that DNA is fundamental to the future of medicine. Traditional methods, based on bacterial fermentation, are slow, costly, and unable to meet the growing demands of genetic medicine due to limited scalability and speed. Founded in 2007, Touchlight’s team is inspired by breakthroughs in genetic medicine, recognising the urgent need for innovative DNA production techniques to support the future of genetic therapies.
About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.
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About Touchlight
Touchlight is a privately-owned CDMO based in London, U.K., focused on the provision of DNA services and manufacture of enzymatically produced doggybone DNA (dbDNA™) to enable the development of genetic medicines. Touchlight provide rapid, enzymatic DNA development and manufacturing for all advanced therapy production, including mRNA, viral and non-viral gene therapy and DNA API. dbDNA is a minimal, linear, covalently closed structure, which eliminates bacterial sequences. Touchlight’s revolutionary enzymatic production platform enables unprecedented speed, scale, and the ability to target genes with a size and complexity that is impossible with current technologies. Clients can be supported from pre-clinical through development and supply, to licencing and tech transfer for use in-house.
For more information please contact:
Karen Fallen, Chief Executive Officer
Verna McErlane, Chief Commercial Officer
E: info@touchlight.com
T: +44 20 8481 9200
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