Charles River Enters Manufacturing Collaboration with Gazi University

Rare Daily Staff

Charles River Laboratories International has partnered with Ankara-based Gazi University Faculty of Medicine to support development of a gene therapy for hyperphosphatemic tumoral calcinosis (HTC), a rare genetic disorder that causes painful calcium phosphate buildup in soft tissues.

Under the agreement, Charles River will provide plasmid DNA for AAV production and in vitro efficacy studies. The collaboration positions the company as a contract development and manufacturing partner for Gazi University’s early-stage program targeting GALNT3, the gene responsible for HTC.

The inherited disease leads to elevated blood phosphate levels and noncancerous deposits that typically form around major joints — including the hips, shoulders, and elbows — resulting in pain, inflammation, and limited mobility.

To accelerate research, Charles River will supply off-the-shelf, research-grade AAV plasmids manufactured with animal component–free methods. The ready-to-use plasmids are royalty-free and designed to cut development time and costs for early-stage gene therapy teams.

“Leveraging cell and gene therapy CDMO expertise will enable the Faculty of Medicine to test and ultimately transform groundbreaking concepts into real-world therapies,” said Kerstin Dolph, corporate senior vice president of global manufacturing at Charles River.

Fatih Ezgü, professor of pediatrics and head of the Department of Pediatric Genetics at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, called the collaboration “a significant milestone” in the university’s goal “to pioneer transformative therapies for rare diseases.”