mbDNA™ + Custom Circles
Powering Next-Generation
Cell & Gene Therapies with Circular Single-Stranded mbDNA™
OVERVIEW
Introducing mbDNA™ + Custom Circles: Engineered For Safer, Smarter Gene Editing
Touchlight offers a suite of novel circular DNA architectures developed to enhance gene therapy technologies. These include mbDNA™, single-stranded circles (sscDNA), hybrid single-stranded circles (hsscDNA), and double-stranded circles (dscDNA). Each format is designed with user-defined sequences and structural flexibility to support a range of genetic engineering applications.
Our platform offerings are compatible with various editing technologies, including homology-directed repair (HDR), homology-independent targeted integration (HITI), recombination, and transposition. These technologies are of interest because of their ability to overcome CRISPR HDR’s reliance on dividing cells.
mbDNA™ + Custom Circles: Pioneering the Future of Genetic Medicine
The limitations of viral delivery, such as restricted payload capacity, toxicity, and immunogenicity, present challenges to progress in gene editing. Our mbDNA + Custom Circles offerings are designed to overcome these challenges and deliver:
- Superior cell viability
- Unmatched efficiency
- Compatibility with a variety of delivery mechanisms
The mbDNA design features a double-stranded stem with a single-stranded circular “bulb,” optimised as a payload template for HDR.
The sscDNA design offers a fully single-stranded circular DNA structure.
The hsscDNA design is a predominantly single-stranded molecule to retain the benefits of ssDNA, but with strategically placed double-stranded regions.
The dscDNA design is a fully double-stranded circular DNA molecule with a completely user-defined sequence.
Compatible with:
- Homology-directed repair (HDR)
- Episomal expression
Compatible with:
- Transposases
- Recombinases
- Homology-independent targeted insertion (HITI)
- Episomal expression
Compatible with:
- Transposases
- Recombinases
- Homology-independent targeted insertion (HITI)
- Episomal expression
Compatible with:
- Transposases
- Recombinases
- Homology-independent targeted insertion (HITI)
- Episomal expression
Touchlight Takes Cell-Free to the Next Level
As demand grows for non-viral delivery solutions, mbDNA is setting a new standard achieving high knock-in efficiency with minimal cellular toxicity, while avoiding the manufacturing constraints associated with AAV. Their minimal, user-defined sequence enables precise delivery of the desired genetic payload, without the inclusion of extraneous elements. The circular architecture of the mbDNA portfolio is specifically engineered for enhanced stability and optimal performance in homology-directed repair (HDR) applications. These innovations reflect a strategic evolution from mbDNA, leveraging its success in HDR to create payloads compatible with broader gene insertion technologies.
mbDNA has been adopted in leading cell therapy platforms, achieving up to 75% knock-in efficiency and improved CAR T cell yields. mbDNA functionality as an HDR template has also been demonstrated for other challenging primary cell types including B cells, iPSCs and HSCs. Additionally, mbDNA is being explored as an episomal non-viral gene therapy vector, leveraging its reduced innate immunogenicity to offer the potential for extended therapeutic dosing windows.
Superior Editing Performance
Achieves up to 75% genome repair efficiency in human primary T cells — outperforming AAV and linear ssDNA templates.
Low Toxicity, High Viability
Maintains cell health and promotes faster recovery and expansion, critical for therapeutic applications.
Broad Compatibility
Works with multiple CRISPR systems (e.g., Cas9, Cas12a), enabling diverse gene editing strategies.
Scalable
Produced using enzymatic synthesis at the world’s largest dedicated DNA manufacturing facility, ensuring quality and consistency from research to clinical scale.
RESOURCES
All about mbDNA™: discover its role in advancing gene editing
Discover how the latest advances in enzymatic DNA can support your work, helping you develop safer, faster, and more scalable genetic medicines.
