This application note evaluates the in vivo performance of Touchlight’s doggybone DNA (dbDNA) compared with conventional plasmid DNA when delivered using Sartorius Polyplus non‑viral delivery reagents. The study investigates how dbDNA influences protein expression levels and durability across multiple tissues following both intravenous and intramuscular administration in mouse models.

Cell and gene therapy has long relied on plasmid DNA (pDNA) to power clinical innovation. But cell‑free DNA is already in use, treating patients, and rapidly becoming established as a scalable, consistent, and cost‑efficient alternative. As manufacturing demands grow, developers are reassessing which DNA format best supports speed, reliability, and future‑proofing.

Download this Q&A to get insights from Touchlight’s CSO Jill Makin, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, on the advantages of cell-free DNA, and the considerations developers should make when selecting a platform.

This application note presents a comparative study of enzymatically manufactured doggybone DNA (dbDNA) versus traditional plasmid DNA (pDNA) for lentiviral vector (LVV) production, using the FuGENE® 4K transfection reagent. The study evaluates transient transfection of third‑generation lentiviral systems in HEK293T cells, assessing performance across both adherent and suspension culture processes relevant to scalable LVV manufacturing.

The document details experimental results showing that dbDNA, when used with FuGENE® 4K, delivers higher infectious lentiviral titres than pDNA across multiple transfection conditions. Up to three‑fold higher titres were achieved in adherent cultures, with 2.4‑fold higher titres in suspension systems, alongside improved performance at lower DNA inputs. The findings also highlight cost‑of‑goods advantages and the suitability of dbDNA’s cell‑free, fermentation‑free manufacturing process for research and GMP‑aligned LVV production.

Download this application note to:

• Review comparative data on dbDNA vs pDNA performance in lentiviral vector production
• Learn how transfection parameters impact LVV yield in adherent and suspension HEK293T systems
• Understand the yield, scalability, and cost implications of using dbDNA with FuGENE® 4K

This application note presents an independent cost-of-goods (COG) analysis conducted by Decisional Point Limited to evaluate the financial impact of switching from plasmid DNA (pDNA) to Touchlight’s enzymatically produced dbDNA for AAV manufacturing. Leveraging an established AAV bioprocess economic model, the study compares baseline COG for dbDNA versus pDNA and explores multiple scenario analyses, including dose size, GMP DNA cost, and transfection material requirements to assess their influence on total COG, COG per dose, and COG across key process steps.

The results demonstrate a significant reduction in manufacturing COG when using dbDNA, highlighting meaningful potential savings for AAV gene therapy developers.

Download the application note to explore the complete analysis and findings.

Plasmid DNA has long been the workhorse of cell and gene therapy — supporting countless clinical programs and enabling many of the field’s most important breakthroughs. At the same time, cell‑free DNA has already reached clinical use, where it is increasingly adopted to treat patients and now operates alongside plasmid DNA within today’s manufacturing landscape. How can companies optimize and select the right DNA technology to meet evolving demands for scale, consistency, speed, and cost of goods?

Download the webinar to watch as two leading DNA experts have a candid debate with real-world data exploring where plasmid DNA continues to excel, where cell-free DNA is uniquely positioned, and how both platforms will shape the future of the cell and gene therapy landscape.

In gene therapy manufacturing, viral vectors have long been the primary method for gene modification. However, recent innovations, combined with the evolving demands of the genetic medicines market, are driving a shift toward non-viral technologies. To address this need, the research team at Touchlight, leaders in the industrialisation of cell-free DNA and its application in genetic medicines, initiated development of a novel platform named Megabulb DNA (mbDNA).

In this executive summary, you’ll learn:

• Why mbDNA is redefining precision gene editing
• How mbDNA dramatically improves cell viability and edited cell yields
• How mbDNA delivers proven performance in real-world applications with ElevateBio