Cell therapy weekly: Robotic automation of cell therapy manufacturing
This week: A consortium has developed a proof-of-concept robotic system that successfully automates cell therapy manufacturing, Bayer AG (Leverkusen, Germany) has unveiled a new cell therapy manufacturing facility and Forge Biologics (OH, USA) has become a manufacturing partner for the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CA, USA).
The news highlights:
- A consortium of Multiply labs, UCSF, Cytiva, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Charles River develop a proof-of-concept robotic cell therapy manufacturing system
- Bayer AG launches new cell therapy manufacturing facility to improve global accessibility to cell therapies
- Forge Biologics joins the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine as AAV manufacturing partner
A consortium of Multiply labs, UCSF, Cytiva, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Charles River develop a proof-of-concept robotic cell therapy manufacturing system
The goal of streamlining cell therapy process development and manufacturing has culminated in a joint venture between Multiply Labs (CA, USA), University of California, San Francisco (UCSF; CA, USA), and Cytiva, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Charles River (all MA, USA).
The consortium has developed a proof-of-concept robotics system that automates, without modification, manual cell therapy manufacturing tasks like cell expansion. The data demonstrates that critical process parameters of the automated systems rival a manual system.
“If you had to change a process in order to automate it, the benefits of automation (efficiency and quality) would need to be weighed against the regulatory and scientific drawbacks connected with modifying a validated process,” stated Fred Parietti, Co-Founder and CEO of Multiply Labs. “With Multiply Labs’ technology, adopting automation does not require this trade-off.”
Bayer AG launches new cell therapy manufacturing facility to improve global accessibility to cell therapies
The latest addition to Bayer AG’s dedicated biotechnology site in Berkeley, California is the Cell Therapy Launch Facility. The US $250 million, 100,000-square-foot, fully electric facility will seek to bring cell therapies to patients on a global scale. It will facilitate the late-stage clinical trials and potential commercial launch of BlueRock Therapeutics’ (MA, USA) investigational cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease alongside any other of Bayer’s expanding cell therapy portfolio.
“Cell therapy represent a groundbreaking class of medicines and is an area where Bayer is making a significant investment to research potentially transformative treatment approaches for people with unmet medical needs,” commented Sebastian Guth, President of Bayer US and Pharmaceuticals North America and member of the Pharmaceutical Executive Committee. “Our new cell therapy facility represents true innovation in product development and manufacturing in addition to contributing to Bayer’s sustainability goal as our first fully electric pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.”
Forge Biologics joins the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine as AAV manufacturing partner
Forge Biologics, a gene therapy contract manufacturing and development organization, has joined the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) Industry Resource Partner Program. This will see Forge provide cGMP AAV manufacturing and other support for CIRM-funded programs to accelerate gene therapies through clinical development.
“We are enthusiastic about collaborating with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to help advance gene therapy programs through our clinically-proven manufacturing processes, which may help CIRM programs more quickly reach clinical trials in a state fulfilling the promise of gene therapy to help patients in need,” stated Timothy Miller, CEO, President and Co-Founder of Forge.
Last weeks news in cell therapy
The US FDA granted Priority Review to an investigational gene therapy for Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Intellia Therapeutics announced an expanded research collaboration to develop in vivo CRISPR-based gene therapies for neuromuscular diseases and RoslinCT appointed a new Chief Operating Officer.
