PHILADELPHIA, PA — Latus Bio Inc. has developed an experimental gene-delivery technology that achieved approximately five times greater kidney distribution than a conventional viral vector in preclinical primate testing, potentially expanding the range of kidney diseases that could be targeted with gene therapies.
The Philadelphia-based biotechnology company reported that its engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid reached 80% of the glomeruli in both kidneys following low-dose intravenous administration in adult nonhuman primates.
The findings, scheduled for presentation at the American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Week conference in Denver later this month, represent an early-stage advance in delivering genetic material to kidney cells.
Efficient delivery remains a technical challenge for kidney-directed gene therapies because different renal structures contain specialized cell populations that must be reached to address particular diseases.
Latus said its lead engineered capsid demonstrated approximately fivefold greater kidney biodistribution than wild-type AAV9, a commonly studied viral vector used in gene therapy research.
The experimental vector also delivered genetic material to multiple kidney cell populations, including glomerular endothelial cells, podocytes, mesangial cells, tubular cells and collecting duct cells.
That distribution is significant because the affected cell types perform different functions within the kidney, creating potential applications across several categories of renal disease.
The results were obtained through systemic intravenous administration rather than direct injection into the kidneys, an approach that could be relevant to future treatment development.
The findings remain preclinical and establish delivery performance in nonhuman primates rather than therapeutic effectiveness in patients.
Latus is developing engineered AAV capsids designed to improve the delivery and targeting of gene therapies for central nervous system and peripheral diseases.
The kidney research provides additional evidence of the company’s ability to engineer viral delivery systems with greater tissue specificity than naturally occurring AAV variants.
The findings will be presented by Katherine L. Villa, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at Latus, during the American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Week 2026 conference, scheduled for October 21-25 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
The poster, titled Engineering Novel Kidney-Tropic Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Capsids for Enhanced Gene Therapy in Kidney Diseases, is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to noon Mountain Daylight Time in Exhibit Hall A, poster board TH-PO1123.
The research abstract is available through the American Society of Nephrology at https://www.asn-online.org/abstracts/.
Latus maintains operations in Philadelphia and Boston, where it is developing a pipeline of experimental gene therapies using engineered viral delivery systems.
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