Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) as a Vector for Gene Therapy

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Gene and Cell Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1188

Special Issue Editors


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Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK
Interests: pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences; biochemistry and cell biology; gene and molecular therapy; neurosciences; microfluidics and nanofluidics

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Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Interests: nanofabrication approaches for oral drug delivery; electrospinning; solid dispersions; physical characterization techniques; microfluidics; nanogels for gene delivery; taste masked dosage forms
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Dear Colleagues,

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as one of the most important vectors in modern gene therapy, enabling long-lasting, tissue-targeted delivery with a strong safety profile. AAV gene therapy has revolutionised treatment for some diseases, but remains limited by its high cost, variable efficacy, and translational uncertainty. As clinical demand for AAV grows, advancing its bioprocessing and engineering is essential to overcome its current limitations in terms of potency, specificity, manufacturability, and scalability. This Special Issue of Pharmaceutics highlights innovations in AAV engineering and manufacturing, from designing next-generation capsids with enhanced tropism and transduction efficiency and reduced immunogenicity, to optimising upstream production systems and downstream purification workflows that maximise yield and product quality. We welcome studies that apply synthetic biology, high-throughput screening, and computational design to engineer improved vectors, as well as work that develops robust analytical tools, stable formulations, and regulatory-ready CMC strategies. By integrating biological insight with bioengineering advances, this Special Issue aims to accelerate the development of more effective, scalable, and accessible AAV-based therapeutics.

Dr. Giulia Massaro
Prof. Dr. Duncan Craig
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • AAV
  • gene therapy
  • viral vector
  • capsid engineering
  • bioprocessing
  • synthetic biology
  • computational design

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 2500 KB  
Article
Mechanistic Insights into AAV Capsid–Stationary Phase Interactions Governing Native Stability and Chromatographic Separation Using AAV8 as a Model System
by Timotej Žvanut, Mitja Martelanc, Aleš Štrancar and Andreja Gramc Livk
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18020263 - 20 Feb 2026
Viewed by 783
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are widely used gene therapy vectors; yet their physicochemical stability and chromatographic behavior are highly sensitive to the solution conditions they are in. Effective separation of full (F), empty (E), and partially filled (P) capsids—most commonly achieved by anion [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are widely used gene therapy vectors; yet their physicochemical stability and chromatographic behavior are highly sensitive to the solution conditions they are in. Effective separation of full (F), empty (E), and partially filled (P) capsids—most commonly achieved by anion exchange (AEX) chromatography—is essential for standard analytical characterization, process development, and product safety. However, conventional AEX methods rely on low-conductivity alkaline mobile phases with low salt, which promote capsid binding and therefore higher resolution, at the expense of structural stability. Conversely, formulations such as near-neutral buffers might preserve capsid integrity but often impair AEX retention and separation resolution. Methods: Here, we extend a mechanistic investigation using AAV8 capsids as a model system, focusing on detailed capsid interactions with strong AEX, and present novel AAV8 separation strategies on a weak AEX stationary phase. Results: By systematically varying buffer pH and ionic strength, we identify operational regimes that balance capsid stability with chromatographic separation efficiency. In parallel, we introduce an integrated two-dimensional (2D) in-line buffer exchange configuration that decouples AEX performance from sample formulation, enabling robust separation of stability-optimized, high-salt matrices without off-line desalting. Conclusions: By elucidating the roles of capsid charge modulation, ligand physicochemical properties, and local microenvironmental buffering, this study establishes practical design principles for stability-preserving chromatography. It lays a foundation for more reliable analytical and future preparative AAV workflows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) as a Vector for Gene Therapy)
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