New start-up company RecTech GmbH founded
RecTech GmbH is a brand new start-up focused on developing designer recombinases for precision genome editing.
Supported by the BMBF GO-Bio programme, the lab of Frank Buchholz founded the
company to translate its scientific findings into a translational pipeline.
@RecTech_Dresden
@BuchholzLab_TUD
Designer recombinase can precisely correct disease-relevant gene defect in severe form of hemophilia A
The research team led by Prof. Frank Buchholz at the Carl Gustav Carus Medical Faculty of the Technical University of Dresden has succeeded in developing an enzyme that can efficiently and specifically correct a gene mutation in the Factor VIII gene, which is responsible for a severe form of hemophilia A.
People suffering from the severe form of hemophilia A are unable to produce a certain protein necessary for blood clotting. As a consequence, Hemophilia A patients often suffer from spontaneous bleeding, which can lead to chronic painful and degenerative joint disease, hematomas and also potentially life-threatening internal bleeding. Currently, patients are treated with a protein replacement therapy using recombinant factor VIII, which typically must be administered intravenously several times a week. Patients benefit from this treatment. However, so far this therapy can only alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but not cure the patients.
This fact might change in the future due to the designer-recombinase RecF8 generated by the RecTech team around Prof. Frank Buchholz. RecF8 is the newest innovation based on the designer-recombinase platform technology developed by the research group. Designer-recombinases represent a versatile and flexible genome editing tool that allows for precise and efficient genome modifications. The now presented RecF8 designer-recombinase can for the first time correct the defective factor VIII gene with high precision. About 50% of severe hemophilia A cases are caused by a so-called gene inversion – a gene segment that is practically turned the wrong way around. RecF8 is able to detect specific sequences in this inversion and rotate correctly the inverted DNA section back into the right direction. The team was able to show that the gene inversion causing hemophilia A could be reversed after treatment with RecF8 in patient cells, thus curing the cells. These results again demonstrate the high therapeutic potential of designer recombinases, as they could now also be used to correct disease-causing gene inversions.
“The next step is of course to prove the safety of RecF8 in animal models. Should the efficiency as well as specificity also be demonstrated in the animal model, a clinical trial with patients could follow. The results so far are promising and show the high potential of the technology for future clinical application,” explains Prof. Buchholz.
References:
Correction of a Factor VIII genomic inversion with designer-recombinases.
Lansing F, Mukhametzyanova L, Rojo-Romanos T, Iwasawa K, Kimura M, Paszkowski-Rogacz M, Karpinski J, Grass T, Sonntag J, Schneider PM, Günes C, Hoersten J, Schmitt LT, Rodriguez-Muela N, Knöfler R, Takebe T & Buchholz F. Nature Communications volume 13, Article number: 422 (2022)
Pairing of single mutations yields obligate Cre-type site-specific recombinases.
Hoersten J, Ruiz-Gómez G, Lansing F, Rojo-Romanos T, Schmitt LT, Sonntag J, Pisabarro MT, Buchholz F. Nucleic Acids Res. 2021 Dec 24:gkab1240. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkab1240. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34951450
RecTech: RecTech is a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the GO-Bio Innitiative. Within the planned spin-off RecTech, the research results mentioned here are to be further developed and commercialized.
Contacts:
Dr. Felix Lansing
Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus der Technischen Universität Dresden
Fetscherstr. 74
01307 Dresden
Tel.: +49 (0) 351 463-40091
Fax: +49 (0) 351 463-40289
E-Mail: felix.lansing@tu-dresden.de
Prof. Dr. Frank Buchholz
Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus der Technischen Universität Dresden
Fetscherstr. 74
01307 Dresden
Tel.: +49 (0) 351 463-40288
Fax: +49 (0) 351 463-40289
E-Mail: frank.buchholz@tu-dresden.de
Interview on communication in science with Prof. Dr. Frank Buchholz
On 18 January 2022, mdr Sachsen published a podcast on the topic “Is there a therapy for Long Covid?” in which Prof. Dr. Frank Buchholz comments on communication in science within and with the outside world.
(Podcast – Prof. Dr. Buchholz starting at 1:39:30)
Prof. Frank Buchholz new Dean of Research at the Medical Faculty
As Dean of Research, Prof. Frank Buchholz will continue the previous work and set new priorities.
The objective of the Office of the Dean of Research at the Medical Faculty of the TU Dresden is:
- to ensure the continuation of existing research priorities and to expand them accordingly
- to define and establish innovative research priorities – with a special focus on translational research
- to acquire national and international funding and to participate intensively in future activities of the University Medicine Network and future state programmes.
In addition, interdisciplinary cross-sectional profiles are to be deepened and the integration of the Medical Faculty into international networks is to be further developed.
German Alliance of Scientific Organisations: Call for more objectivity in crisis situations
The German Alliance of Scientific Organisations has taken a stand on the current reporting by the BILD newspaper in connection with the coronavirus pandemic by calling for more objectivity in crisis situations. The full version of the letter can be found here (German version).
BMBF Cluster4Future SaxoCell® focusses on therapeutic options for previously incurable diseases
At the kick-off meeting on 16 November, the BMBF Future Cluster was launched with the vision of establishing an independent industry in Saxony that will focus on “living medicines”.
Prof. Frank Buchholz and his research group are part of the cluster and involved in research work in the projects “HemRec”, “xMac” and “AlloCART”.
Frank Buchholz among this year’s Falling Walls finalists
Frank Buchholz has been selected as a finalist for the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2021 in Life Sciences.
The award recognizes ground-breaking work contributing towards solving the world’s biggest challenges.
A list of all finalists of the 2021 round of awards in 10 categories from Life Sciences to Science Engagement can be found on the Falling Walls website.
Business Plan Competition - RecTech team from Dresden wins second place at Science4Life Venture Cup
The Dresden research team has developed a promising business concept to revolutionize molecular medicine based on a customized designer recombinase technology. This genome editing technology is predestined to drive the development of new therapeutic approaches for genetic diseases. Today, more than 8,000 gene mutations are known to cause incurable monogenic diseases. By using the designer recombinases developed in Dresden, these genetic defects could be corrected. Hence previously incurable diseases could be successfully treated. In addition, making use of the genome editing technique offers completely new cures for other diseases, such as viral infections. In order to bring genome editing approaches into clinical practice, it is of utmost importance that the tools used are safe and do not alter the genome accidentally. Designer recombinases have the unique ability to cleave and specifically reassemble DNA in vivo without relying on cellular DNA repair mechanisms. A major advantage over other technologies continues to be that recombinases can correct large structural genome alterations, which has not been possible before. Thus, designer recombinases offer precise and predictable modification of the genome, making them particularly suitable for therapeutic applications. Establishing the necessary platform technology and marketing it profitably defines the innovative business idea of the RecTech project.
In the Science4Life Venture Cup, 88 teams from all over Germany took part to present their innovative business concepts. The ten best contributions were awarded prizes in the first round of the competition and the BMBF-GO-Bio-funded start-up RecTech from Dresden was among the winners. The Dresden team was now also successful in the subsequent rounds of the competition and was able to convince the jurors of its innovative business plan. RecTech took second place in the most competitive phase of the competition, the so-called Business Plan Phase. This is endowed with prize money of € 10,000. The team also scored with the best pitch in the Pharma & Diagnostics category at TechSLAM 2021.
Press review on this news item:
Oiger (News from Saxon industry and the research community) (14 July 2021)
Sächsische Zeitung (Regional newspaper) (14 July 2021)
Science4Life - The Dresden RecTech team has successfully participated in the competition again
The Dresden start-up project RecTech led by Prof. Frank Buchholz and Dr. Anne-Kristin Heninger emerged as one of the winners at the Science4Life TechSLAM on May 11, 2021. Within this competition, 20 start-up teams presented their business idea in a 3-minute pitch, whereby creativity and comprehensibility had to be the focus of the presentation.
250 visitors then used online voting to select the four best teams out of 20 in the respective categories of Medicine, Materials & Sustainability, Energy and Pharma & Diagnostics.
In the category Pharma & Diagnostics, the ReTech team could once again impress the audience with its innovative gene editing technology.
More information on Science4Life TechSLAM 2021
The tailored genome - How enzymes can help to cure hereditary diseases
The start-up project RecTech led by Prof. Frank Buchholz and Dr. Anne-Kristin Heninger has once again succeeded in scoring points in the prestigious Science4Life Venture Cup. This time, RecTech was awarded as one of the ten best teams for its innovative business concept. The participation is highly competitive and offers applicants access to more than 300 industry experts.
The research team of the TU Dresden has developed a promising business concept to establish a flourishing Biotech company in Dresden based on designer recombinase technology. The technology of genome editing applies molecular biological tools to specifically modify the genetic code of organisms. Based on genome editing tools, genetic diseases might be cured in the future by means of "molecular repair". The business idea of the RecTech project is to develop a recombinase platform technology.
Currently, more than 8,000 gene mutations are known to cause genetic diseases that are currently incurable. However, RecTech's designer recombinases enable the development of new curative therapies for such diseases. Sequence-specific recombinases (SSRs) are enzymes that can precisely edit and modify the genome at a specific target sequence. The RecTech team has developed innovative methods to adapt SSRs to any recognition sequence.
In the phase of the Science4Life business plan competition, 81 teams from all over Germany once again participated. This time, the ten best business concepts were awarded within the Venture Cup and the BMBF-GO-Bio-funded start-up RecTech from Dresden was again among them.