Additional purchasing info

Safety and storage

AAV vectors are considered risk group 1 agents (not associated with disease in healthy adult humans) according to the National Institutes of Health. Our recombinant AAV vectors can be handled in a Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) environment.

For more information on proper storage and handling, view our AAV Vector Storage and Handling Information document.

Shipping and handling prices

Shipping on wet ice

Shipping on dry ice

Additional purchasing FAQ's

Can my gene of interest or expression cassette be packaged into AAV?

If your gene of interest is smaller than 4.9 kilo base pairs (kbp), we may package it into our rAAV products. We do not package gene sequences that may be unsafe to humans or the environment, such as those that are carcinogenic and those that encode for dangerous pathogens. If you have any further questions on this topic, you may contact us.

How far in advance do you have to schedule an AAV Production project?

Our production timeline is 4-8 weeks for custom projects. This timeline will be lengthened if you request a more complex multi-step cloning procedure, or want us to produce your own capsid. We take customer orders every business day and will troubleshoot with you if you have any concerns.

What do I send to Virovek before you can initiate my custom project?

We require three things:

1. ready-made DNA for your gene of interest,
2. text sequence of your gene of interest,
3. a form of payment/assurance of payment.

I do not have ready-made DNA for my custom project. Can I still use your AAV Production Services?

Yes! In this case, we will use a third-party gene synthesis company to create your DNA. We will include this cost in the quote and invoice for your project.

How much plasmid does Virovek need to start a custom project? Does it need to be prepped with an endotoxin free kit?

We need 20 uL of plasmid DNA at 0.5 ug/uL at minimum for cloning. If you provide a smaller amount to us, we will spend additional time working on DNA amplification during the cloning step. The DNA does not have to be prepped with an endotoxin free kit.

What units does Virovek use to measure production scale and calculate pricing?

We use vector genome (vg) as our unit to measure production scale for custom projects. This unit is similar to genome copy (gc). It refers to the number of complete copies of the customer’s gene of interest that are present in the final suspension. Due to the high-output nature of our AAV generation technology, the lowest production scale that Virovek uses for customer projects is 1 x 10^13 vg. The titer (in vg/mL), or concentration, of our virus products is typically ~2 x 10^13 vg/mL. It can be adjusted upon customer request. The volume (in mL) of our virus products can also be adjusted to meet customer needs. Both titer and volume can be adjusted, but the price of the product will always depend on the vector genome (vg) amount. For example, if you order 1 x 10^13 vg of total virus genome at a concentration of 5 x 10^13 vg/mL, 200 uL of the product will be delivered.

What quality control steps do you perform on AAV vectors? How do you calculate the titer?

We do qPCR Titration with our universal ITR primers to quantify vector genome copies. We also run an SDS Page Gel on AAV proteins called VP1, VP2, AND VP3 to determine purity. These services are offered free of charge and included in our AAV production process. For an additional cost, we can run an endotoxin assay, have the final AAV product sequence-verified, or run a whole host of other assays, including TCID50, ddPCR, full/empty, GOI PCR, and more.

What is your storage solution for the virus?

We use 1x PBS Buffer containing 0.001% pluronic F-68. The AAV1, AAV2, AAV4, AAV6, AAV-DJ, and variant capsids derived from these serotypes (such as 7m8 and retro2, etc.) will aggregate at high concentrations, so we add sodium citrate to the buffers for these products. If your project features a specialized or novel capsid that is prone to aggregation, we will always consult with you first before deaggregating the product and adding the sodium citrate.

Can I reorder more of the same virus product with the same lot number?

Yes! Virovek may keep samples and remainders of custom-made AAV for customers up to 4 years after your initial order. Please let us know what lot number and volume you would like to re-order, and we will provide you a quote if the product is still available. If you are interested in a titer adjustment, please let us know.

How do you pack and ship your AAV products?

We pack our AAV tubes in a bubble mailer or bubble wrap in a Styrofoam container and/or an outer cardboard box. The outside of the box will be clearly labeled with Virovek's logo. We ship parcels through third-party couriers on either ice packs (4°C) or dry ice (-80°C) for a flat rate that is adjusted for location shipped, temperature control, and other factors.

How about payment?

Virovek accepts purchase orders, credit cards, checks, and wire transfers.

• For large orders worth $50,000 or more, a deposit worth 50% of the cost of the project is due up-front. The rest is to be paid normally after work is complete.
• For orders worth $10,000 or more paid by credit card, Virovek will charge a 3% credit card processing fee.
• For orders placed through a third-party platform (e.g. Scientist.com, Science Exchange, etc.), Virovek will charge a third-party platform fee of 8%.

What are the AAV 5.2 and AAV 8.2 products?

These AAV products are modifications of wild-type AAV5 and AAV8. In each product, the Phospholipase A2 domain encoded by the VP1 Cap gene has been replaced with the corresponding domain from AAV2. Functionally, the activity of this enzyme allows the virus to escape the cellular vesicle once it has been endocytosed into the target cell, therefore avoiding breakdown by lysozymes. AAV2 demonstrates some of the highest phospholipase activity, so we have integrated the AAV2 wild-type domain into our AAV5.2 and AAV8.2 products with no alteration in tropism to increase infectivity.