The purpose of this application is to develop commercial processes for improved purification of non-enveloped viral vectors such as adenovirus. These vectors are vehicles for vaccination or ex vivo and in vivo gene therapy. Starting from crude material, the resulting product must be of high purity and produced in high yields. In addition, these vectors must be free from contaminating cellular components such as chromosomal DNA and RNA, protein, membrane components and endotoxins. Requirements for large scale production of these vectors is creating a demand for improved purification processes. Current processes using Cesium chloride gradients are cumbersome, inefficient and difficult to scale-up. Alternative technologies based on column chromatography are often inefficient, resulting in low purity and yields and limited abilities to remove contaminants. Column fouling is a particular problem. A new approach involving an innovative technology is proposed. The technology is based on an inert, non-porous, irregularly-shaped polymer using principles of ion-pair reverse-phase chromatography. The unique properties of this resin provide for improved purity and yield resulting improved economics for vector purification.
