Therapeutic Programs

GeneVentiv is transforming genes into medicines for inherited diseases.

High Affinity Delivery

We utilize AAV vectors with high target tissue affinity to deliver optimized transgenes that hold the potential to serve as medicines to treat inherited diseases.

Scientific and Regulatory Strategies

Our Scientific Team has over 28 years of experience with AAV gene therapy, from vector design to transgene optimization. Our Regulatory Team has a track record of FDA approvals and has worked on over 100 programs ranging from IND to NDA and BLA. Together our Scientific and Regulatory Teams work collaboratively with our investigators conducting contract and sponsored research to assess the efficacy and safety of our gene therapy product candidates.

GENV-HEM Universal Gene Therapy Approach for Hemophilia

Liver Delivery Programs

Pre-Clinical

IND Approval

Phase I/II

Phase III

GENV-HEM (AAV8.FVa) – Hemophilia A with or without inhibitors

GENV-HEM (AAV8.FVa) directs expression of human FVa in its native environment. GENV-HEM is the first, single infusion, universal AAV-based gene therapy for all types of hemophilia and is the first to treat inhibitor patients. There are 130,000 hemophilia A patients with or without inhibitors in the developed world. GENV-HEM has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy and safety in pre-clinical studies.

How GENV-HEM (AAV8.FVa) works

In healthy individuals, an injury triggers the coagulation cascade. Coagulation Factors VIII and IX are pivotal proteins for the generation of activated Factor X (Xa), which in complex with activated Factor V (Va), leads to thrombin (IIa) production culminating in the generation of a clot. In hemophilia, deficiencies of Factor VIII or IX, or in the presence of their neutralizing antibodies (anti-FVIII and anti-FIX, termed inhibitors), clot formation is significantly impaired.

GENV-HEM is an Adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 8 vector that contains the DNA sequence for human activated Factor V (Va). The Va sequence is expressed from a liver-specific promoter and contains a polyadenylation (pA) signal, flanked by inverted terminal repeats (ITRs). Administration of GENV-HEM results in hepatocyte transduction in the liver. Existing (approved or in development) AAV-based approaches with Factor VIII direct its non-native expression in transduced cells. In contrast, hepatocytes transduced with GENV-HEM can natively express high levels of endogenous Factor V and GENV-HEM-directed Factor Va, avoiding potential mechanisms linked to decreased expression long-term.

Administration of GENV-HEM results in expression of Factor Va. After an injury, locally generated Va and GENV-HEM expressed Va complex with local Xa to generate IIa and result in clot formation. The combined pool of Va is subjected to the highly regulated endogenous anticoagulation pathway, resulting in GENV-HEM’s normal pre-clinical safety profile. Since GENV-HEM acts downstream of reactions with Factor VIII or IX, it can bypass the missing factors in hemophilia and their inhibitors. This makes GENV-HEM a universal approach for hemophilia.

In pre-clinical studies in hemophilic mice (with or without inhibitors), administration of GENV-HEM resulted in normalization of clot time and responses to three widely used injury types. Administration of GENV-HEM resulted in a normal safety profile over a wide range of AAV doses.