Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) recently released Technical Report No. 81, “Cell-Based Therapy Control Strategy,” written by PDA’s Cell and Gene Therapy Task Force. Michael Blackton, Global Head of Quality at adaptimmune and PDA’s Co-Chair of the Cell and Gene Therapy Interest Group co-authored the report. Blackton’s also a member of the Biopharmaceutical Advisory Board and International Board of Directors. Here, he breaks down Technical Report No. 81 and explains the report’s biggest takeaways.

I caught up with Ryan Bartock, Head of Supply Chain and Network Strategy at Spark Therapeutics, to talk through some of the gene therapy sector’s heftiest supply chain challenges. In Part 1 of a 2 part series, hear what advice he has for pharma, bio executives, and CMOs to successfully manage and even streamline the supply chain.

Autologous (patient-derived) therapies represent unique challenges to processing. One-patient, single-batch is a radical change from the scale our industry is accustomed to. At this level the filling is more analogous to limited Phase 1 clinical trial materials or even preclinical applications. The logistics and required compliance of manufacturing these personalized therapies is drastically different and presents a combinatorial explosive problem. One aspect of this process where traditional methods fall apart is filling of these therapies.

The difficulty of balancing paying for innovation with budgets has plagued Europe for years, and the emergence of cell and gene therapies has only exacerbated that conundrum. The launch of the first two CAR T-cell therapies will likely prove to be useful case studies for how payers and physicians will respond to this new reality.

Two of the field’s most valuable luminaries representing both academia and industry — Dr. Bruce Levine and Simon Ellison, ISCT Commercialization Committee — discuss determining how CMOs can and should successfully manage cell and gene therapy supply chains.

Being a Greater Philadelphia Area resident affords me the opportunity to meet and collaborate with scientists, doctors, researchers, and other highly skilled professionals knee-deep in the cell and gene therapy sector. From the University of Pennsylvania to CHOP to Spark Therapeutics to Tmunity and many, many more, Philadelphia not only continues to shine as the geographical standout for innovation and continuous forward movement for cell and gene therapies but also as the smart economical choice for SMEs in the field.

Regenerative medicine could be a game-changing approach to meet the needs of insulin-dependent patients. Although the field is still in its infancy, the initial clinical data looks promising. This article takes a closer look at a few innovative companies that are racing to bring the first regenerative medicine for diabetes to the market.

The temperature-sensitivity of cell and gene therapies, their personalized nature, and their circular (“vein-to-vein”) supply chain make maintaining a seamless supply chain critical; however, it is not easily achieved.

One conversation with Michael Blackton, VP QA CMC at Adaptimmune, proves why he is known for being a passionate, results-oriented leader focused on QA, analytical development, and more. Validate for yourself as Blackton answers my questions about process development and quality management. And, he provides a fresh outlook on recruiting senior-level executives.  

The first round of CAR T therapies, now considered “legacy,” is largely being produced using biosafety cabinets and bench-top incubators with multiple open operational steps. The next generation of production processes will reduce or eliminate the open operations and automate cell-based manipulations.

Over the past 20 years, hope has grown around the use of stem cells to enhance regeneration following a heart attack, wherein stem cells would facilitate tissue repair and help restore heart muscle function. However, the legitimacy of cardiac stem cell research is now being called into question.

Jiwen Zhang, Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs at Tmunity Therapeutics Incorporated and Cell & Gene Editorial Advisory Board member explains the status of the cell and gene sector’s domestic and international regulatory framework. As President of the International Standards Coordinating Body (SCB), she also provides a synopsis of the most recent Stakeholder meeting.

Unmet medical need (UMN) is not a new concept, but it is an increasingly important one. Regulators and payers are nudging the industry to steer R&D investments toward areas with higher unmet need and less crowded pipelines.

While recent scientific breakthroughs for regenerative cell therapies are bringing great hope to patients and providers in desperate need of treatments and cures, how do you determine payment for something of enormously high value that has literally never existed before?

A quick and nimble approach is often sought after in the cell and gene therapy product space due to the likely one-time or limited patient dosing and/or rare disease conditions limiting the number of available patients, which reduces the number of clinical studies.

With the recent breakthroughs in cell and gene therapy, there is increased emphasis on the design and implementation of different supply chain models to support the movement of materials and drug product across the chain of care. Unlike more traditional supply chains, many of these therapies have unpredictable sources and manufacturing and infusion locations. The most extreme example is loosely referred to as the “vein-to-vein” supply chain — particularly for autologous therapies.

Nicole Gularte is currently battling cancer for the 8^th time. The last time she had to do so, it seemed a CAR-T cell therapy trial might be the solution. This article is about her long battle with cancer, the struggle to get into a CAR-T cell trial, and the ups and downs she has faced along the way. Her story is an inspiration to others.

The FDA published a new draft guidance on August 10, 2018 entitled, Expansion Cohorts: Use in First-In-Human Clinical Trials to Expedite Development of Oncology Drugs and Biologics. The comment period for the draft guidance closed on October 12, 2018 and approximately 20 comments were submitted to the docket. The guidance provides sponsors with recommendations for designing and conducting first-in-human (FIH) multiple expansion cohort trials within their oncology development programs.

Progress in development of gene and cell therapies around the world has potential to transform standards of care for a range of diseases and address significant areas of unmet need in healthcare over the coming years. In the U.S. alone, almost 20 gene and cell therapy products have been approved thus far,¹ with many other development programs reaching later clinical stages. The technology platforms of many of these drugs also offer the potential for curative efficacy and expansion for use in multiple indications.