Asimov to Apply AI-Driven CHO Expression Platform in BARDA-BioMaP Filovirus Antibody Manufacturing
Asimov will lead a project under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Preparedness Consortium (BioMaP-Consortium), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The initiative is funded at up to $8.49 million over three years and focuses on manufacturing optimization for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) cocktail designed to treat filovirus disease caused by Ebola virus (EBOV) and Sudan virus (SUDV).
EBOV and SUDV are high-consequence pathogens that can cause severe hemorrhagic fever with reported mortality rates of up to 90 percent. Filoviruses spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, and outbreaks can overwhelm public health systems. No broad-spectrum licensed treatment covers both EBOV and SUDV, and rapid, large-scale production of targeted therapeutics is a critical preparedness priority identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Asimov will deploy its fourth-generation CHO Edge System, which integrates a GS knock-out Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) host, hyperactive transposase, a library of more than 1,000 characterized genetic parts, and proprietary AI models for expression vector and process optimization. The system is designed to routinely achieve 7–11 g/L titers across biologic modalities and guarantees a minimum of 5 g/L for immunoglobulin G (IgG) monoclonal antibodies within its cell line development service.
Asimov is a Boston-based synthetic biology company developing a platform that integrates laboratory and computational capabilities to design and manufacture next-generation therapeutics, including biologics and cell and gene therapies. Founded in 2017 by bioengineers Chris Voigt, Doug Densmore, Alec Nielsen, and Raja Srinivas, the company originated from research in genetic logic circuit design conducted in the Voigt and Densmore laboratories.
This work included development of Cello, an automated genetic circuit design platform created in collaboration with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2016. Since its founding, Asimov has raised over $200 million from institutional investors including Andreessen Horowitz, CPP Investments, Horizons Ventures, and Fidelity Management & Research Company.
Image credit: Asimov, CHO Edge System
The CHO Edge platform’s AI tools model signal peptide cleavage, RNA splicing, and upstream process performance, enabling molecule-specific vector architectures and process parameters. This approach is intended to produce stable, high-yielding clones suitable for current good manufacturing practice (GMP) environments, reducing development timelines for antibody therapeutics.
The project’s goal is to strengthen U.S. manufacturing readiness for emergency deployment of filovirus countermeasures, ensuring that antibody cocktails against both EBOV and SUDV can be produced rapidly and at scale when needed.
Topics: AI & Digital
