Collaboration Leads To CGT Progress At Astellas' West Coast Innovation Center
By Erin Harris, Editor-In-Chief, Cell & Gene
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Last year, during ARM’s Meeting on the Mesa, I had the opportunity to sit down with Yoshi Shitaka, outgoing CSO and Richard Wilson, SVP, Primary Focus Lead (Genetic Regulation) at Astellas to talk through what the global life sciences company has been working on, and let’s just say, they’ve been busy.
Shitaka, Wilson, and I talked about Astellas’ West Coast Innovation Center, the 154,000-square-foot lab and office facility that opened back in May 2024 in South San Francisco. The facility serves as a central hub for the collaboration needed to move the needle in AI and digital transformation for drug development, advance Astellas’ cell and gene therapy programs, and more.
A Strategic Move for Innovation
We spent quite some time discussing the West Coast Innovation Center itself, which serves as a hub for employees working in CGT and fosters collaboration between internal teams and external partners, ultimately accelerating the development of groundbreaking therapies. “The facility was developed to strengthen Astellas’ footprint in one of the world’s leading life science ecosystems: San Francisco,” explained Shitaka. “The Center was designed to bring together employees from Astellas Gene Therapy, who are focused on gene therapy, and employees from Xyphos, who specialize in cancer cell therapy. Business development teams share space there too.”
Externally, the facility aims to enhance collaborations with local organizations and attract top talent. San Francisco is a well-known biotech hub, making it an ideal location for Astellas to integrate research, development, and business growth under one roof. The new space allows for streamlined communication, innovation-sharing, and cross-functional collaboration that are essential for the complex work of cell and gene therapy development.
The Importance of Collaboration
Wilson elaborated on the significance of working in a shared space, emphasizing that proximity fosters creativity and innovation. “The ability to have real-time discussions, share insights across disciplines, and exchange ideas informally accelerates problem-solving and decision-making,” Wilson said. “The open and dynamic environment of the West Coast Innovation Center ensures that teams across research, development, and regulatory affairs can collaborate easily.”
This setup enhances Astellas’ ability to take intelligent, thoughtful risks, a crucial aspect when dealing with cutting-edge therapies. With the rapid evolution of cell and gene therapies, having scientists, regulatory experts, and business strategists in the same space enables faster innovation cycles and a higher probability of success in clinical development.
Leveraging Expertise Across Modalities
Beyond just creating a hub for its cell and gene therapy programs, Astellas is leveraging its expertise from other therapeutic areas, including small molecules and biologics, to advance its pipeline. “We’re able to strategically select the most suitable modality to address disease targets, integrating different therapeutic approaches to build a diversified pipeline,” said Shitaka. “For example, in ophthalmology, we have marketed in the U.S. an RNA aptamer therapy targeting C5, a protein in the complement system, to help reduce uncontrolled inflammation that is a hallmark of age-related macular degeneration. This has been followed by investigations into a cell therapy program focused on retinal pigment epithelium. We’re expanding our gene therapy initiatives in key therapeutic areas by using knowledge across multiple modalities.”
AI and Digital Transformation in Cell and Gene Therapy
Leading up to my sit-down with Shitaka and Wilson, I couldn’t wait to talk to them about AI and machine learning, as Shitaka is known for having a clear focus on digital transformation in drug development. Shitaka emphasized that AI and machine learning are already playing a transformative role in research, development, and manufacturing at Astellas. “Within the gene therapy space, AI is being used to optimize plasmid DNA sequences and drive capsid evolution in collaboration with external partners,” explained Shitaka.
The company is also embracing automation in cell therapy manufacturing, including a partnership with Japanese electronics company YASKAWA Electric Corporation to develop a cell therapy product manufacturing platform utilizing their dual-arm robotic system. This step towards digitalization and automation in manufacturing is expected to improve efficiency and precision, further accelerating the development of cell therapies in the next few years.
Strategic Partnerships Driving Innovation
Astellas has built a strong reputation for its strategic partnerships, which play a central role in its innovation strategy. During our discussion, Shitaka and Wilson outlined some of the company’s most recent and impactful collaborations.
In cell therapy, Astellas has expanded its collaboration with Poseida Therapeutics, combining Poseida’s allogeneic CAR-T technology with Astellas’ Xyphos utilizes a novel and proprietary ACCELTM technology* platform that uses its convertibleCAR® (convertible Chimeric Antigen Receptor)* in combination with proprietary MicAbodies* to target tumor cells.. This partnership is aimed at enhancing the development of next-generation cancer treatments. Indeed, Poseida is making progress on cancer treatments; last year, Poseida’s CEO, Kristin Yarema, Ph.D. was my guest on Cell & Gene: The Podcast when we discussed allo’s potential and overcoming challenges to developing off-the-shelf therapies.
On the gene therapy side, Astellas has entered multiple strategic collaborations, including one with Kate Therapeutics to license an advanced capsid technology for treating X-linked myotubular myopathy.
Astellas has since announced another gene therapy deal, this time with Sangamo Therapeutics. The license agreement grants Astellas rights to employ Sangamo’s novel proprietary capsid for up to five potential neurological disease targets, further expanding the company’s gene capabilities beyond neuromuscular diseases.
The West Coast Innovation Center is more than just a new facility—it embodies Astellas' commitment to innovation, collaboration, and scientific advancement in cell and gene therapy. By fostering cross-functional teamwork, leveraging AI and automation, and forging strategic partnerships, Astellas is positioning itself as a global leader in the biopharmaceutical landscape.
With pioneering programs in ophthalmology, oncology, and rare genetic diseases, Astellas is set to make a profound impact on patients’ lives. As the company continues to push the boundaries of biotech innovation, the West Coast Innovation Center will remain a cornerstone of its mission to deliver cutting-edge therapies to the world.