At a Glance
- Company: Virica Biotech
- Location: Ottawa, Canada
- Focus area: Biomanufacturing optimisation
- Key tech: Viric.AI active-learning platform
- Next steps: Expand use across viral vectors and other biologics
What happened?
Virica Biotech announced Viric.AI, a proprietary active-learning platform designed to accelerate the discovery and optimisation of biomanufacturing enhancers. The system combines machine learning with iterative experimental feedback and is being added to Virica’s service offering for clients.
Why does it matter?
Biomanufacturing optimisation is often slow and resource-intensive, especially in viral vector production for cell and gene therapies and vaccines. Viric.AI is intended to shorten development timelines, improve yield and help teams identify productive conditions earlier in process development.
Who’s behind it?
Virica Biotech is an Ottawa-based company focused on improving biomanufacturing through its Viral Sensitizers, or VSE, enhancer technology. The platform was developed with Dr Francesco Gentile’s lab at the University of Ottawa, and it is already being used by the Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub.
How was it achieved?
Viric.AI builds on Virica’s existing High-Throughput Virology platform and Design-of-Experiments workflows, using active learning to guide experimental design and predict better conditions sooner. Virica says the approach can be applied not only to viral vector manufacturing but also to other advanced biologics systems.
What’s next?
Virica plans to use Viric.AI more broadly across commercial biomanufacturing projects and public-health applications. The company says the platform is already being applied to discover new enhancers for adenovirus production, suggesting additional use cases may follow.