Modality and Platform

Advance Therapy Medicine Blog Post 1
By Jayanthi Grebin www.JLG Lifescience LLC

Modality and Platform in Advance Therapy Medicine
In the healthcare definitive description, modality refers to method of treatment, a piece of equipment (Platform), or an interventional method. Modalities could be figured out after the target illness is found. Target illness in advance therapeutic medicine could be targeting an immune cell in humans, or spike protein on a pathogen, or targeting a bacteria cell wall and even targeting a particular tissue.
Once the target illness is decided, what modality is needed to target that area. Let’s look at an example of SMA with Zolgensma®.

Modality & Platform

This particular In-vivo Gene Therapy works with a modality where the gene of interest (DNA encoding human SMN protein) is carried by a viral vector in the patients’ blood stream and targets the motor neuron that has defective SMN1 gene.

The modality is to first create Viral Vector Production (AAV9) and then inserting gene of interest into it, purifying it and getting is ready for administration in vials.

Based on this requirement, therapy providers will be exploring a platform to create viral vectors from their single-use suppliers. A bioreactor that works with an adherent cell line was used.

Once a bioreactor is chosen, the assemblies that needed will be integrated with the bioreactor which can include, tubing, connectors, bags, filters, sample manifold, clamps and raw material like media and sensors will be needed to ensure growth and purification steps provides the best results.

In summary: Suppliers who want to be active in therapy space need to understand in the first phases of the therapy, what modality is being investigated to find the platform.