Retrovirus Production and Characterization

Retroviral vectors are involved in more than 25% of the gene therapy trials, being the pioneering vector in this field. The production of retroviral vectors still poses some challenges, mainly because of the relatively low cell specific productivity and the low vector stability. Having clinical applications in mind, it is clear that robust production and purification processes are necessary, along with a proper vector characterization. The determination of vector titer in terms of infectious particles and transduction efficiency, combined with product quality analysis in terms of total particles and proteins present in the final preparation, are essential for a complete assessment and definition of the final product specifications.