LAKEWOOD, COLO., U.S.A. – Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, the medical technology company specializing in a portfolio of technology, software and services for blood component collection, therapeutic apheresis and cellular technologies, today announces that it will join a consortium aiming to increase process efficiency, consistency and quality while potentially lowering overall costs of cell and gene therapies. The Process Analytical Technology (PAT) Consortium aims to increase efficiencies and lower overall costs by assessing applications and combinations of multiple technologies for process analytics within cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing. These strategies support the Company's drive to increase patient access to therapies.
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, by joining the PAT Consortium, will become part of the largest global consortium in the cell and gene therapy sector both in its ambitions and objectives and in its expertise and number of participating organisations. The consortium is led by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, an independent center of excellence established to advance the growth of the UK cell and gene therapy industry. The PAT Consortium initially comprises 23 organizations including pharmaceutical companies; therapeutic developers; technology providers of sensors, manufacturing system and analytical tools; raw material providers; and charitable organizations. The collaboration will be funded by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult with selective additional support, either financial or with materials. from the consortium members.
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult selected Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies because of previous collaborations evaluating the company's automated cell expansion platform, known as the Quantum® Cell Expansion System, in several applications that included culture of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and the manufacture of viral vectors. The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult are currently working in collaboration with Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies to develop a suspension cell expansion protocol relevant to the PAT Consortium project.
In addition to using the Quantum system, the consortium will access the company's full range of scientific expertise concerning automation and general use of bioreactors. Dalip Sethi, Ph.D., Director of Scientific Affairs, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, will sit on the PAT Consortium steering committee.
The cell and gene therapy sector has seen increasing clinical, therapeutic and commercial successes. For this to continue, we need increased collaboration between a range of sector organizations to overcome current industry challenges, including process development. By joining the PAT Consortium, we will contribute, share and acquire a broad range of expertise that will have a direct impact on the delivery of therapies to a broader number of patients.
-Delara Motlagh, General Manager, Cell Therapy Technologies, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies
By collaborating with fellow consortium members, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies will gain additional knowledge and data concerning the use of bioreactors in cell and gene therapy process development and their application within the wider development and manufacturing processes. This knowledge will be vital to future development of its technologies, software and services for cell and gene therapies.
Consortium Focus
The consortium identified PAT development as critical to success of the cell and gene therapy industry. By developing improved PAT, the consortium aims to increase process efficiency and reduce batch failures through the creation of predictive analytics and adaptive processing. This is a key element in accelerating the approval and commercialization of medicines across the cell and gene therapy sector. In combination with adaptive manufacturing, it will allow more detailed monitoring and control of the manufacturing process. The consortium will assess multiple process analytical technologies, both newly developed for CGT and newly applied from other industries. These technologies will also be evaluated in specific manufacturing settings, in or alongside closed system processing and with specific CGT materials and equipment.
About Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is a medical technology company. Our products, software and services enable customers to collect and prepare blood and cells to help treat challenging diseases and conditions. Our employees around the world believe in the potential of blood and cells to do even more for patients than they do today. TERUMOBCT.COM
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies' customers include blood centers, hospitals, therapeutic apheresis clinics, cell collection and processing organizations, researchers and private medical practices. Our customers are based in over 130 countries across the globe. We have 750+ granted patents, with more than 150 additionally pending.
We have global headquarters in Lakewood, Colorado, U.S. along with five regional headquarters, six manufacturing sites and six innovation and development centers across the globe. Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is a subsidiary of Terumo Corporation (TSE: 4543), a global leader in medical technology.
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