Mantell Associates recently appointed Donna McLaren as VP of Platform Development at Touchlight. Donna is an accomplished and visionary leader with a proven track record developing and commercializing innovative cell & gene therapy products; having led the CMC activities to commercialize the first lentiviral vector (LVV)-based gene therapy approved for the treatment of metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD).
Touchlight is an innovation-driven leading CDMO pioneering enzymatic DNA production to enable the genetic medicine revolution. As pioneers with an FDA Drug Master Filing already accepted in 2022, their enzymatic DNA technology is on the cutting edge of AAV, mRNA, DNA vaccine, and in vivo gene editing innovation. With multiple client products already in the clinic, their evidence-based, data-supported synthetic DNA manufacturing solutions offer a scalable, sustainable alternative to plasmid DNA (pDNA) for all stages of pre-clinical, clinical and commercial development. Their company and technology are built on the conviction that DNA is fundamental to the future of medicine. Traditional methods, based on bacterial fermentation, are slow, costly, and unable to meet the growing demands of genetic medicine due to limited scalability and speed. Founded in 2007, the Touchlight team is inspired by breakthroughs in genome sequencing, recognizing the urgent need for innovative DNA production techniques to support the future of genetic therapies.
To address these challenges, Touchlight developed their first novel synthetic DNA vector, dbDNA™, alongside a proprietary enzymatic manufacturing process. This groundbreaking approach enables the production of complex DNA sequences with remarkable speed, scale, and purity, surpassing the limitations of traditional pDNA production while transforming the economics of bringing these therapies to market more efficiently and sustainably. Touchlight’s commitment to innovation is continually fueling product improvements and new product development. As of early 2024, they have partnered with hundreds of biotech and top 10 pharmaceutical companies, producing synthetic DNA for use as both a starting material and an active pharmaceutical ingredient. By the end of 2025, dbDNA™ will be one of multiple synthetic DNA products in our portfolio that will continue to pave the way for more accessible cell and gene therapies.
Company website – http://www.touchlight.com
To find out more about Touchlight, contact Fernand Desjarlais on +44 (0)20 3854 7700 or fernand.desjarlais@mantellassociates.com.