Catapult Programmes aim to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine

The Cell Therapy Catapult is working with multiple-partners to deliver health and wealth to the UK through support from Innovate UK, formerly the Technology Strategy Board. Recently announced projects include an agreement with Plasticell which has brought additional investment to a therapeutic programme utilising CombiCult®, a high throughput stem cell technology designed to solve bottlenecks in regenerative medicine development.

A consortium, including the University of Oxford, are developing  a process to expand cord blood stem cells ex vivo using Plasticell's media, thus allowing more patients to be treated with potentially life-saving therapies.

TAP Biosystems, part of Sartorius Stedim Biotech Group, is partnering with the Cell Therapy Catapult to develop a small scale, single-use bioreactor that can be applied to cell therapy applications and to liaise with regulatory agencies on the levels of validation required for the system to be adopted into Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities. Achieving this will reduce cell therapy development cost and time and accelerate delivery of novel cell therapies to patients.

In a third deal Azellon Ltd will develop an improved product and manufacturing process suitable for commercialisation for its cell bandage for repair of torn meniscus.  Other members of the consortium include the University of Liverpool and NHS Blood and Transplant.     

Previously announced, Athersys Limited, is supporting a Phase 2a clinical study evaluating the administration of MultiStem® cell therapy to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. The deal will provide support over the course of the study, which will be conducted by Athersys Limited at leading clinical sites in the UK in conjunction with the Cell Therapy Catapult.

Keith Thompson, CEO of the Cell Therapy Catapult, said: "As part of four independent research and development collaborative awards to a total value of £6.3 million, we are delighted to be playing a pivotal role in delivering these programmes which have the potential to accelerate the growth of the cell therapy industry to generate health and wealth."