Plasmid DNA for Biopharma

The demand for high quality plasmid DNA has increased vastly in response to rapid advances in its use in gene therapy and vaccine production. New applications like mRNA based vaccines or gene therapy treatment all require plasmid DNA as an important starting material.

Biopharma applications

Our products for Biopharma

MACHEREY-NAGEL offers innovative solutions for cell lysis, clarification and plasmid purification to constantly deliver high yields with minimal endotoxin contamination. To ensure maximum flexibility, we offer all components needed for plasmid purification with our endotoxin kits as standalone products. For more information, please have a look at our flyer and in the listings below.

Endotoxins

Endotoxins are heat-stable toxins associated with the outer membranes of certain gram-negative bacteria. Chemically they are Lipopolysaccharides (LPS). In large quantities they produce hemorrhagic shock and severe diarrhea; smaller amounts cause fever, altered resistance to bacterial infection, leukopenia followed by leukocytosis, and numerous other biologic effects.

Induced changed due to endotoxines

Automation for Biopharma

NucleoBond Xtra Midi EF, for endotoxin-free DNA

Medium and large-scale plasmid DNA preparations for transfection play an important role in many fields of research as well as the pharma and biotech industry. Obtaining sufficient amounts of transfection-grade plasmid DNA is more important than ever.

Anion exchange columns are successfully used to purify large amounts of highly pure plasmid DNA and remain the tool of choice for large-scale, high purity plasmid isolation. While providing significant advantages, most anion exchange columns are also slow and labor intensive. 

To tackle these issues, MACHEREY‑NAGEL and Andrew Alliance have combined their strengths to automate NucleoBond Xtra Midi and NucleoBond Xtra Midi EF, the fastest anion exchange column on the market with Andrew+, a highly flexible and dexterous liquid handler robot. The protocol enables completely automated purification of more than 2400 μg of transfection-grade plasmid DNA per run (6 preps with >400 µg each).

Our automation partner for plasmid DNA

AAV - Adeno associated viruses as DNA shuttles for gene therapy

The vector of choice for gene therapy is the adeno-associated virus (AAV). AAVs have an excellent safety profile and cannot replicate independently. Another safety feature of AAVs is that they cannot integrate into the host genome.

MACHERY-NAGEL offers a wide range of kits for the development and research of AAVs that meet the specific requirements of our clients.

Scientific citations for our products in AAV research

NucleoBond Xtra Midi

NucleoBond Xtra Midi EF Hungerbuehler et al., Adeno-Associated Vector-Delivered CRISPR/SaCas9 System Reduces Feline Leukemia Virus Production In Vitro, Viruses, 2021 (https://doi.org/10.3390/v13081636)

NucleoBond Xtra Midi EF

• Sheng et al. Autophagy protects pancreatic beta cell mass and function in the setting of a high-fat and high-glucose diet, 2017, Nature (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16485-0)
• Rumachik et al. Methods Matter: Standard Production Platforms for Recombinant AAV Produce Chemically and Functionally Distinct Vectors, 2020, Molecular Therapy (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2020.05.018)
• Kim et al., Efficient CRISPR editing with a hypercompact Cas12f1 and engineered guide RNAs delivered by adeno-associated virus, 2021, Nature Biotechnology (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-01009-z)
• Kaberniuk et al., Single-component near-infrared optogenetic systems for gene transcription regulation, 2021, Nature communications (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24212-7)

NucleoBond Xtra Maxi

Waldner et al., Avian Adeno-Associated Viral Transduction of the Postembryonic Chicken Retina, 2019, Translational vision science & technology (https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.8.4.1)

NucleoBond Xtra Maxi EF

Challis et al., Widespread and targeted gene expression by systemic AAV vectors: Production, purification, and administration, 2019, Nature Protocols (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-018-0097-3)

NucleoBond PC 10.000

Lu et al., A 5’ Noncoding Exon Containing Engineered Intron Enhances Transgene Expression from Recombinant AAV Vectors in vivo, 2017, Human Gene Therapy (https://doi.org/10.1089/hum.2016.140)

From plasmid DNA to mRNA vaccines - from construct to lifesaving medicine

Vaccines offer a safe way to immunise the population against contagious diseases. As the global population increases, so will the demand for rapid development of effective vaccines against sudden disease outbreaks.

mRNA vaccines offer superior speed and flexibility in combatting new diseases because they are highly adaptable and cost-efficient to develop. Once an antigen of a disease has been identified, the genetic information can be adapted and incorporated into plasmid vectors, which can then be amplified by bacteria. After sufficient amplification, these vectors can be harvested and the genetic information can be transcribed in vitro into mRNA. Following further purification and encapsulation of the mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), it is ready to be used as a vaccine.

MACHEREY-NAGEL offers a broad portfolio of plasmid DNA extraction kits for every stage of vaccine development. Whether it's the initial testing or the actual production, our products provide plasmid DNA of the right purity at the right price!
The same goes for the purification of mRNA from in vitro transcriptions!

NucleoBond Xtra Midi EF

• Hick, T. A. H. et al. Safety concern of recombination between self-amplifying mRNA vaccines and viruses is mitigated in vivo. Molecular Therapy 2024, 32 (8), 2519–2534 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.06.019)
• Stolovich-Rain, M. et al. Intramuscular mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 induces neutralizing salivary IgA. Frontiers in Immunology 2023, 13, 933347 (https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.933347)

NucleoBond Xtra Maxi

• Brunialti, E. et al. Spatiotemporal atlas of pro-inflammatory NF-κB and anti-inflammatory STAT6 signaling using reporter mice during mRNA vaccination. Molecular Therapy 2026, 34 (8), 4998–5014 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2026.05.028)
• Slamanig, S. et al. Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant vaccines elicit humoral and cellular mucosal immunity in female mice. EBioMedicine 2024, 105, 105185 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105185)