2024 was a milestone year for RegMedNet as we celebrated our 10th birthday, and what a year it was! From groundbreaking news to insightful interviews and thought-provoking webinars, this year has been packed with fascinating content that you, our readers, couldn’t get enough of.

Whether it was diving into the promising results of clinical trials, learning about advances in cell therapy manufacturing or discovering the latest regenerative medicine grants and funding, 2024 showcased the very best in innovation and collaboration.

To wrap up this milestone year we’ve compiled your favorite reads, watch-worthy webinars, and top-notch interviews into one handy listicle. So, grab a cup of coffee and join us as we take a look back at the highlights that made 2024 unforgettable on RegMedNet!

Top news

Breakthrough in gene therapy for genetic deafness

One of our most read news articles of 2024 discusses preliminary results from the Phase I/II CHORD trial of DB-OTO, an investigational gene therapy aimed at treating genetic deafness caused by otoferlin gene variants. The therapy seeks to restore hearing by delivering a functional otoferlin gene to the inner ear via a single injection.

Top 3 grants in regenerative medicine: January 2024

Every month we scour the Dimensions resource on RegMedNet and pick out our favorite grants awarded to regenerative medicine research projects. Our first round-up article of the year also turned out to be one of our most popular, covering projects on reactivating dormant neural stem cells to treat stroke, exploring new avenues for treating age-related hearing loss and using cortical brain organoids to treat cerebral cortex injuries.

You can read all our previous round-up articles here or head to Dimensions on RegMedNet to get information about millions of research grants, plus data on clinical trials, publications and patents.

Cell therapy weekly: Reversing alopecia by reawakening dormant stem cells

Last year’s most popular installment of Cell therapy weekly highlighted a Europe-wide initiative aimed at accelerating the clinical progression of advanced therapies, a manufacturing collaboration between CellProthera (Mulhouse, France) and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital (Kamakura City, Japan), and Pelage Pharmaceuticals’ successful Series A funding round to develop a regenerative treatment for alopecia.

Cell therapy weekly will keep you informed about the latest industry news with bite-sized summaries of the top stories every week. Check out the archive here.

Top interviews

Expanding the horizons of cell and gene therapy

Nisha Durand, GMP Director at Carolina BioOncology Institute – BioCytics (NC, USA), gave us an insight into her work on process development and GMP-compliant manufacturing operations to support clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cells.

Improving access to cell and gene therapies with a point-of-care approach

In this interview, Nirav Shah from the Medical College of Wisconsin (WI, USA), an early advocate for decentralized manufacturing, shared insights into the role of these approaches within the cell and gene therapy production landscape. He explored the challenges associated with decentralized manufacturing, strategies to address these hurdles, and the steps needed to advance this manufacturing approach further.

Expanding possibilities for iPSCs

Molly Tregidgo from the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult; London, UK) talked us through the challenges associated with the 2D expansion of iPSCs and explained how utilizing 3D stirred tank reactors allows for the production of hundreds of functional NK cells per seeded iPSC. Molly also discussed the potential impact of process analytical technologies on cell therapy manufacturing in the future.

Top sponsored features

Webinar: Brainstorming methods for engineered muscle tissue repair

Kevin Hart, Analytical Method Development Scientist at Cook MyoSite (PA, USA), and Loran Solorio, Manager of Product Research Engineering at Cook Biotech (IN, USA) explored the mechanisms that govern the differentiation of engineered tissue into muscle and addressed questions surrounding how we can better direct and measure this process.

Infographic: Air-liquid interface: A technique revolutionizing respiratory research

Over 40 different cell types contribute to the structure of the lungs and replicating this complexity in vitro is extremely challenging. This infographic compares conventional submerged cell culture with air-liquid interface cell culture for regenerative medicine research.

Webinar: Decoding raw material quality and regulatory standards in cell and gene therapy

Four regulatory experts from Sartorius came together and discussed the requirements for raw materials used in the production of cell and gene therapies. They gave us a look into the evolving guidelines across global regulatory agencies and shared strategies that will help developers ensure the success of their cell and gene therapy programs.

And don’t forget, 2024 marked RegMedNet’s 10^th birthday!

From 2014 to 2024: what’s changed in the last decade?

We reflected on the transformative decade of regenerative medicine and advanced therapies from 2014 to 2024, highlighting the field’s evolution, from early challenges in therapeutic development, manufacturing scalability and regulatory uncertainties to breakthroughs in clinical approvals and streamlined production processes.

A decade of breakthroughs

This infographic highlights some of the most significant milestones in the field of regenerative medicine and advanced therapies from the past decade, tracing the journey from groundbreaking research and early experimental trials to the regulatory approvals that have brought these innovative treatments into clinical practice today.

Cell and gene therapy innovations and impact

Finally, our anniversary eBook, which explored pivotal developments in the field, from the early breakthroughs in gene editing technologies to the design of cell-based therapies for cancer and genetic disorders. Delve into interviews, reviews and research articles in this eBook to explore more about the science, the challenges and the implications these therapies hold for the future of medicine

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Here’s to another year of inspiring innovation, groundbreaking science and a thriving community dedicated to advancing regenerative medicine and cell and gene therapies. We can’t wait to see what 2025 will bring!