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Danish biotech replaces 1980s cell-based methods with revolutionary cell-free technology, making gene therapy more accessible. Innovative approach allows for unprecedented quality in hours rather than weeks.
Fuse Vectors founders outside L to R Jordan Turnbull, Henrik Stage and Benjamin Blaha
Copenhagen, Denmark – 25 February 2025; Gene therapy’s biggest obstacle isn’t science – it’s manufacturing. While the field races forward with breakthrough treatments, production remains stuck in the 1980s, relying on unpredictable cell-based methods that make therapies costly and slow to develop. Today, Fuse Vectors announces $5.2 million in pre-seed financing led by HCVC to revolutionize gene therapy development with its cell-free viral vector technology.
The funding will accelerate the development of Fuse’s technology platform and pipeline of novel gene therapies. With its breakthrough approach, Fuse Vectors aims to be the universal solution for AAV gene therapy development, delivering unmet patient needs and expanding the accessibility of gene therapy to a wider range of indications.
The Fuse Vectors story began with two bioprocess scientists who saw firsthand the limitations of current drug development technologies. Despite the complexity of viral vectors, the industry had been relying on retrofitted manufacturing technologies from the 1980s and 1990s. Benjamin Blaha and Jordan Turnbull watched as these outdated methods produced therapies that were costly, slow to develop, and often low in quality. As the founders describe it, traditional methods are like “tossing LEGO bricks into a tumble dryer and hoping houses emerge.”
Recognizing this critical gap, they asked a radical question: “What if everything about this process is wrong?” The industry’s major players lacked both the bandwidth and remit to overhaul these outdated methods, so Blaha and Turnbull took the leap – leaving their jobs to rethink viral vector development from the ground up. Their efforts led to a breakthrough: a controlled, cell-free approach that assembles viral vectors with unprecedented precision.
“Fuse Vectors’ cell-free Fuse Technology offers significant improvements, reducing production time and costs while enhancing vector quality to meet patients’ unmet needs,” said Benjamin Blaha, co-founder of Fuse Vectors. “The enzymatic AAV capsid filling process eliminates cell-based AAV production, using efficient technologies storing components in a module library. This allows on-demand, controlled biocatalytic reactions to fill capsids and works across all serotypes.”
Instead of relying on living cells’ unpredictable behavior, Fuse’s technology assembles viral vectors through controlled biochemical reactions. This innovative approach allows for unprecedented precision, achieving over 99% filled capsids synthesized in hours rather than weeks. Partners simply provide a gene sequence, and Fuse’s streamlined process packages it into an AAV vector – enabling faster, higher-quality development with minimal setup.
The platform’s modular nature enables rapid optimization through multi-parallel prototyping, making it significantly more efficient than traditional methods.
“This investment from HCVC is a pivotal step for Fuse Vectors, bringing our pre-seed financing to 5 million EUR,” said Henrik Stage, co-founder and Executive Chair of Fuse Vectors. “We are excited to work towards our vision of making gene therapy more efficient, cost-effective, and accessible, and are grateful for the early support and financing received from BioInnovation Institute, EIFO and Innovation Fund during our ideation and start-up phase.”
Currently in alpha testing, Fuse Vectors is collaborating with over half a dozen partners – from academic research groups to leading pharmaceutical companies. The company plans two commercialization strategies: partnering with pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and academic institutions to optimize drug candidates using their Fuse Technology and Optimization Engine, while also developing their own pipeline of therapeutic candidates.
“Fuse Vectors’ approach to gene therapy has the potential to make gene therapy much more interesting for the Industry to develop as well as increase accessibility to patients,” stated Trine Bartholdy, CBO of BioInnovation Institute. “Their start-up development exemplifies BII’s commitment to empowering innovative platform technologies based on world-class scientific research to grow into successful companies capable of making meaningful impact on the future of gene therapy and human health.”
“We are thrilled to support Fuse Vectors in their mission to revolutionize gene therapy,” said Alexis Houssou, Managing Partner of HCVC. “With their unique cell-free viral vector solution, expert founding team and strong business model, Fuse Vectors has the potential to overcome significant challenges in the field, and we believe in their ability to bring transformative treatments to patients.”
The technology comes at a crucial time for gene therapy. With thousands of genetic diseases still lacking treatments, drug developers struggle to create safe, effective, and accessible therapies. By fundamentally reimagining how viral vectors are made, Fuse Vectors aims to unlock the full potential of gene therapy – bringing it closer to the patients who need it most.
About Fuse Vectors
FuseVectors is a biotech start-up revolutionizing gene therapy with its cell-free viral vector technology. Traditional AAV development relies on cell-based methods, which are poorly controlled, leading to variable purity and reduced therapeutic efficacy and safety. Fuse Vectors’ cell-free technology combines component module libraries with on-demand biocatalytic AAV capsid filling processes. This eliminates cell-based production and offers significant improvements, reducing production time and costs while enhancing vector quality to meet patients’ unmet needs. More specifically, FuseTechnology offers:
- Clinically Relevant Viral Vector Titers: Increasing titers by orders of magnitude
- Exceptionally high capsid filling: >99% filled capsids
- Rapid Production: Viral vectors synthesized in hours.
- Optimization Feasibility: Rapid multi-parallel prototyping facilitates optimizing drug development across serotypes and constructs.
- Fully scalable process: Smooth transition from research to commercial stages.
Fuse Vectors plans to commercialize its business through a two-branched model: i) developing its own pipeline of drug candidates for selected indications, progressing these candidates into proof-of-concepts in patients and ii) leveraging the Fuse Technology and Optimization Engine through collaborations with pharma, biotech, and academia. The company aims to establish partner agreements on a gene-by-gene basis, collaborating on finding optimized drug candidates and granting licenses under Fuse IP for research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of AAVs made with the Fuse Technology. Currently, Fuse Vectors is working on various undisclosed projects, benchmarking Fuse AAVs with the genes of interest provided by partners against traditional technologies.
About HCVC
HCVC is an early-stage deep tech venture capital firm that backs founders on a mission to industrialize scientific and technological progress. HCVC invests in pre-seed and seed-stage companies across Europe and the US, with offices in Paris, London, and the Bay Area. The portfolio spans transformative sectors like frontier biotech, defense, AI infrastructure, robotics, climate, and space. Learn more at https://www.hcvc.co/
About BioInnovation Institute
The BioInnovation Institute foundation (BII) is an international non-profit foundation supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. BII operates an incubator to accelerate world-class life science innovation, driving the development of new solutions by early life science start-ups for the benefit of people and society. BII offers state-of-the-art labs, vibrant office facilities, business development, start-up business incubation, access to high-level mentoring, and international networks, plus unique funding opportunities. Read more on https://bii.dk
About EIFO
TheExport & Investment Fund (EIFO) is Denmark’s sovereign fund that invests in innovative life science start-ups and specialized funds with the potential to transform and strengthen the country’s position as one of Europe’s leading health innovation hubs. Our mission is to shape the future of health by supporting breakthrough science, technologies, and companies that address the most pressing health challenges. The current life science portfolio includes more than 40 companies spanning digital health, medical devices, and therapeutics. Learn more at www.eifo.dk/en/
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