Explore the Agenda

7:00 am Check-In, Coffee & Light Breakfast

7:50 am Chair’s Opening Remarks

CSO, Touchlight Genetics

Weighing Plasmid & Enzymatic Approaches in the Evolving Landscape of DNA Production

8:00 am Closed-End DNA as a Cell Free Template for mRNA Production

Senior Associate Scientist - Upstream Process Development, Pfizer
  • Enabling rapid, scalable cell-free DNA template production for mRNA manufacturing through closed-end DNA (ceDNA) technology
  • Achieving mRNA of similar quality to traditional plasmid DNA template methods with ceDNA templates
  • Generating starting templates, selecting process raw materials, and purifying ceDNA as key steps for ensuring high DNA and mRNA quality

8:30 am Accelerating Manufacturing with Alchemy™ Cell-Free Systems

Associate Director of Research & Development, Aldevron
  • Alchemy™ cell‑free DNA technology provides a faster, cleaner, and efficient linear DNA template for mRNA production
  • Aldevron delivers fully integrated, end‑to‑end mRNA manufacturing all under one quality system and within purpose‑built U.S. facilities.
  • Decades of experience and broad platform capabilities (DNA, RNA, proteins) position Aldevron as a partner for therapeutic development

9:00 am From Template to Transcript: Impact of DNA Product Quality on mRNA Therapeutic Outcomes

Principal Scientist, GlaxoSmithKline
  • Designing DNA vectors to influence double-stranded RNA formation and improve downstream process performance
  • Engineering a plasmid that impacts polyA tail length to maximize product quality
  • Understanding the importance of pDNA as a starting material on mRNA product quality to inform plasmid design

9:30 am Speed Networking

Our dedicated speed networking session is the perfect opportunity to have in-depth conversations and forge long-lasting connections with fellow technical experts working with plasmid and synthetic DNA

10:00 am Morning Break & Refreshments

Unleashing Synthetic DNA Production with Novel Platforms & Streamlined Processes for Bacterial Contamination-Free Material

10:30 am Pure Synthetic DNA: Unlocking the Genetic Medicines Needs

  • Quality comes first – Ensuring high quality products and reproducible results
  • Faster Delivery Time – Accelerating access to DNA material through high performance manufacturing process
  • Scalability – Meeting any amount demanded: from R&D and clinical to commercial

11:15 am Roundtable Discussion: Comparing DNA Production Methods: Chemical, Cell-Free Amplification, Enzymatic, Biological & Beyond

Independent Cell & Gene Therapy CMC Expert, Independent Expert
CSO, Touchlight Genetics
  • Clarifying what “cell-free” production really entails
  • Comparing structural and impurity profiles across different DNA production approaches
  • Exploring scalability, process flexibility, and cost implications of each method
  • Sharing practical experiences and lessons learned from implementing different DNA platforms

11:30 am Small but Mighty: Developing a Cost-Effective Manufacturing Process for High-Quality Plasmids at Small Scale

New Technology Manager, Xpress Biologics
  • Increasing demands for small-scale amounts of plasmid DNA for early-stage and personalized medicine projects
  • Transitioning from a gram-scale to a mg-scale process without sacrificing critical quality attributes
  • Streamlining process, QC testing and documentation to shorten manufacturing and release timelines

12:00 pm 4basebio Lunch & Learn

Private hosted lunch by 4basebio, including a roundtable discussion on leveraging cell-free synthetic DNA to de-risk CMC pathways

Refining Upstream Process Development, Plasmid Design & Fermentation to Maximize DNA Integrity, Stability & Yield

1:00 pm On-Demand Buffer Solutions for Next-Gen Therapies

Chief Executive Officer, Boston BioProducts
  • Build vs Buy decisions for reagent solutions
  • Background on RUO/GMP buffer manufacturing capabilities to support R&D and CMC
  • Case Study: Supporting US CDMO scale their operations with buffer outsourcing

1:10 pm Optimizing Synthetic DNA Template Design to Improve repRNA Yield & Quality

director, HDT Bio
  • Comparing synthetic vs plasmid-derived DNA templates
  • Evaluating template quality and its correlation with RNA integrity
  • Mitigating amplification-induced artifacts
  • Establishing quality metrics for synthetic DNA-based IVT templates

1:40 pm Scaling Plasmid DNA Production

Staff Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc
  • Media and peptone selection: Understand how these cell culture components contribute to enhanced productivity and performance across various E. coli strains
  • Process optimization: Gain insights into the best practices for achieving significant performance improvements in pDNA development
  • Scalability in pDNA production: Discover how Gibco peptones enabled Akron Bio to scale pDNA production efficiently

2:10 pm Controlling Fermentation Environments to Reduce Variability for Reproducible, High-Quality Plasmid Supply

Unit head CMC DNA Process Development / mRNA center, Sanofi
  • Unpacking key challenges in upstream fermentation and parameters to monitor during fermentation
  • Reducing fermentation stresses to maintain plasmid robustness, sequence integrity and minimize batch-to-batch variability
  • Balancing growth and yield to maximize efficiency while preserving critical elements like polyA tails for mRNA and ITRs for viral vectors
  • Evaluating media formulation, feeding strategies and culture conditions for optimal plasmid recovery

2:40 pm Afternoon Break & Poster Session

This is an informal session designed to help you connect with peers in a relaxed atmosphere while exploring the latest innovations in DNA production, purification, and analytics. With an audience of experts eager to discuss advancements in plasmid quality, enzymatic synthesis, and analytical testing, you will have the opportunity to display a poster presenting your own research. Don’t miss the chance to connect, learn, and showcase your work in DNA production.

Enhancing DNA Recovery in Downstream Processing to Enable Efficient, Scalable Therapeutic Production

3:30 pm Controlling Variability in Downstream Processing to Produce Quality Plasmid DNA at Industrial Scale

Senior Scientist & Head - Process Development, GreenLight BioSciences
  • Understanding how downstream processes impact DNA isoforms (supercoiled vs nicked/linear)
  • Identifying the main causes of DNA damage during DSP: hold-up time and temperature during resuspension
  • Exploring how DNA quality impacts stability

4:00 pm Column-Free DNA Production: Tackling Scalability Challenges

Inderpendent Expert, Independent Expert
  • Exploring poultry H5N1 vaccine breakthroughs using column-free processes with >95% supercoiled DNA and proven long-term stability
  • Learning GMP scale-up lessons from 50L to 1000L fermentation batches while navigating regulatory requirements for novel platforms
  • Analyzing process economics and applying real-world facility implementation strategies for resin versus resin-free production

4:30 pm Enhancing Plasmid Yield: Optimizing Lysis & Extraction for Maximum Recovery

Senior Scientist, CureVac SE
  • Tailoring lysis strategies to selectively release plasmid DNA while minimizing DNA carryover
  • Fine-tuning critical process conditions to reduce shear stress and preserve plasmid integrity
  • Scaling of the lysis

5:00 pm Chair’s Closing Remarks

CSO, Touchlight Genetics

5:15 pm Drinks Reception hosted by Syngoi & Artis BioSolutions

Chief Scientific & Innovation Officer, Artis BioSolutions

Kick off the evening with insights from Kate Broderick, followed by a relaxed networking reception. Connect with peers over drinks and continue the day’s discussions

6:15 pm End of Conference Dat One