VectorBuilder, a Chicago, Illinois-based gene delivery technology company and contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), and MaxCyte, a Rockville, Maryland-based cell engineering technology company, have partnered to develop a gene delivery platform for clinical-grade cell engineering applications.

The collaboration combines VectorBuilder’s gene delivery technology with MaxCyte’s electroporation platform to support development of ex vivo cell therapies, including CAR-T, CAR-NK and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based therapies.

The companies said the platform is designed to address manufacturing challenges associated with existing gene delivery approaches, including scalability, cell viability and production efficiency. The solution combines VectorBuilder’s nonviral gene delivery system with MaxCyte’s electroporation technology to support cell engineering workflows from research through clinical manufacturing.

VectorBuilder and MaxCyte said early data from CAR-T manufacturing studies showed improvements in cell viability and gene expression compared with conventional approaches. The platform supports multiple payload types, including DNA, RNA and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) systems, with applications including gene editing and transient protein expression.

The companies said the expanded capabilities will support biotechnology and pharmaceutical developers seeking scalable cell engineering solutions for next-generation therapies.

The partnership builds on VectorBuilder’s recent investment in expanded manufacturing capabilities. Earlier this month, the company announced plans to invest $50 million to establish an advanced biomanufacturing and R&D center in Chicago. The facility is expected to integrate plasmid, viral vector, nonviral vector and cell engineering capabilities to support genetic medicine programs from early research through GMP manufacturing.