A new international collaboration is bringing together biotechnology expertise from Switzerland and Turkiye to support the development of a potential gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Swiss biotechnology company NewBiologix S.A. has entered into an agreement with Synastra Biotechnology Inc., a Turkiye-based gene therapy company, to develop a stable producer cell line for Synastra’s investigational DMD gene therapy program.
The partnership focuses on one of the most important challenges in gene therapy: producing the large amounts of viral vector needed for treatment in a consistent, scalable, and potentially more cost-effective way.
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A Partnership Focused on DMD Gene Therapy Manufacturing
Under the agreement, NewBiologix will use its Xcell™ Stable Manufacturing Platform to develop and characterize a stable Research Cell Bank for Synastra’s DMD program.
The platform is designed to replace repeated transient transfection processes with genetically engineered, stable producer cell lines. According to the companies, this approach could help make recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) manufacturing more reproducible and scalable.
This is particularly important for DMD gene therapy because systemic treatment can require very high doses of rAAV vectors. Manufacturing capacity, consistency, scalability, and cost can therefore become major factors in the future development and availability of these therapies.
The agreement also includes an option to transition the program to a commercial license, potentially supporting future clinical and commercial manufacturing.
A DMD Gene Therapy Program Emerging From Turkiye
One of the most notable aspects of this collaboration is Synastra’s origin in Turkiye.
Synastra Biotechnology was established through a collaboration between Üsküdar University and Unifon-Biotech GSYF Venture Capital Investment Fund. The company is led by molecular biologist and genetic engineer Dr. Cihan Taştan, who serves as Deputy Chairman of the Board and General Manager.
Synastra’s lead program is an investigational AAV-based micro-dystrophin gene therapy candidate for DMD.
The company is combining genomic engineering, synthetic biology, AAV vector design, analytical and CMC strategy, preclinical development, and clinical translation as it works to advance its program.
Its collaboration with Üsküdar University, including the Transgenic Cell Technologies Application and Research Center (TRGENMER), provides part of the scientific infrastructure behind this work.
Connecting Turkish Innovation With Global Manufacturing
The partnership with NewBiologix represents an important step in connecting a gene therapy program originating in Turkiye with an international manufacturing technology platform.
Rather than focusing only on the scientific design of a potential therapy, Synastra says it is building the scientific, manufacturing, and translational pathway from the beginning.
The goal is to develop a DMD gene therapy program that can progress toward international manufacturing, quality, and regulatory standards.
For the DMD community, this collaboration is significant not because it means a treatment is already available, but because it represents another investigational approach being developed to address the underlying genetic cause of Duchenne.
If successful, continued development could help move this Turkiye-originated program closer to clinical translation and, ultimately, the possibility of reaching patients and families who urgently need new treatment options.
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