The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF) and Forge Biologics, a gene therapy manufacturer and member of the Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services group, signed a biomanufacturing agreement to support the development and manufacturing of SamPro-2, PRF’s investigational gene therapy for children and young adults living with Progeria, an ultrarare and fatal genetic disease characterized by rapid aging.

Forge’s integrated gene therapy capabilities include process development, cGMP manufacturing, FUEL™ platform technologies, and regulatory consultation. Forge will provide manufacturing services for Investigative New Drug (IND)-enabling studies with SamPro-2, an investigational in vivo gene-editing therapy that uses adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver a base editing approach designed to correct the single DNA base mutation in the lamin A gene that causes Progeria.

“The era of Progeria gene therapy has arrived. Our hope is that SamPro-2 will give children and young adults with Progeria the longer, healthier lives they deserve,” said Leslie Gordon, MD, PhD, co-founder and medical director of PRF and the mother of Sam Berns who had Progeria.

“Behind every program like this are patients and families who have waited a long time for progress,” said John Maslowski, president and CEO of Forge Biologics. “The Progeria Research Foundation and its Gene Team have shown extraordinary dedication to advancing this science, and we are honored to partner with them. At Forge, we bring that same level of care, expertise, and technical rigor to our manufacturing work as we help advance this program for patients.”