BOSTON – Dyno Therapeutics hosted an ambitious event in Boston this week, the Genome Agency Technology Conference (GATC), striving to bring together a broad coalition of researchers and executives in cell and gene therapy, gene editing, drug discovery and AI as well as patients and advocates to forge new pathways of collaboration to expedite progress in delivering therapies to patients.
The one-day conference was the brainchild of Eric Kelsic, PhD, the founding CEO of Dyno, a biotech company co-founded by Harvard Medical School geneticist George Church, PhD, in 2018. Kelsic said the idea for GATC was hatched earlier this year, shortly before the American Society of Cell and Gene Therapy meeting and steadily expanded in scope.
The meeting hinges on the concept of genetic agency, which Kelsic defined as: An individual’s ability to take action at the genetic level to live a healthier life. This concept was fleshed out in a diagram shown by Kelsic that highlighted key factors, including hope, delivery, genetic insights, the patient, investment, and doctors, all underpinned by advances in technology.
While Kelsic did slip in a few new Dyno announcements into the main program, including an improved AAV capsid to target muscle, updates to the company’s AI agent platform, and a manufacturing partnership expansion, GATC succeeded in maintaining a mission-driven, rather than promotional, atmosphere. The presence of a professional moderator, Misha Glouberman, encouraged networking among attendees, fostering a buzz of conversation and an enthusiastic embrace of new allies and shared purpose.
Moreover, the program featured remarkable patient advocates like Sonia Vallabh, PhD, who shared her journey confronting a rare prion disease, and Victoria Gray, a sickle cell patient who underwent CRISPR therapy. Their stories underscored the urgent need for progress in gene therapies, highlighting the emotional and ethical complexities involved in navigating regulatory pathways. As Vallabh noted, differing guidelines from the FDA’s CDER and CBER present significant challenges, emphasizing the human element in therapeutic development.
Allyson Berent, PhD, chief science officer of the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics, also spoke passionately about the challenges of drug development for rare diseases. Her commitment to finding a cure for her daughter reflects a broader sentiment at GATC: the urgency for innovation in therapeutic approaches. As the conference concluded, attendees expressed optimism that the rallying cry of genetic agency could catalyze further advancements in the field.
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