This month, BioCentriq hosted a webinar called The Role of Platform Processes in Cell Therapy. It explored the challenges associated with cell therapy manufacturing, including high cost and complexity, and offered an alternate pathway for manufacturing.
Cell therapies can revolutionize treatment possibilities, offering potential cures for a range of challenging illnesses and diseases. But the high cost and complexity of cell therapy manufacturing presents significant challenges to their widespread use. Bringing together experts and thought leaders, this webinar looks at a promising paradigm shift for the industry: the adoption of platform processes.
Fill out the form below to watch the webinar on-demand now. Read on to see who participated and what we discussed!
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Who Participated
Take a look at the top experts we gathered to provide you with insight into platform processes. Their insights will equip you with the understanding needed to navigate platform options and help advance the industry forward toward this more streamlined option.
Alex Klarer (Moderator)
Vice President, Business Strategy and Innovation BioCentriq
Alex Klarer is the Vice President of Business Strategy and Innovation at BioCentriq. He has a background in Chemical Engineering focused on bioprocessing and process engineering. He has held roles at Genentech and Minaris, where he led the translational process development for a range of cell therapies and ex-vivo gene therapies, including T-cell immunotherapies, stem cell therapies, and MSC mediated immunoregulation. Alex also has experience developing novel technologies and applications to address gaps in manufacturing capabilities. He has been with BioCentriq since 2020 and previously led the Development and MS&T teams. He now focuses on enabling technical and manufacturing innovations such as the LEAPTM Advanced Therapies Platform.
Taby Ahsan, Ph.D.
Vice President, Cell & Gene Therapy Operations City of Hope
Taby Ahsan, Ph.D. is Vice President of Cell & Gene Therapy Operations at the City of Hope. Dr. Ahsan has over 20 years of experience in both basic and translational studies in the fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and immunotherapy. Taby trained in Bioengineering at UPenn and UC-San Diego, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at GA Tech. Her initial industry experience was at one of the earliest tissue engineering companies, Advanced Tissue Sciences in La Jolla, CA. She went on to join the faculty in the Biomedical Engineering Department at Tulane University, where her lab focused on studying biomechanical regulation of both pluripotent and adult stem cells. In 2017 Taby joined RoosterBio in her continued efforts to help drive forward the field of regenerative medicine and spent three years leading their research and development efforts. She was also Head of Analytical Development and Characterization for Biologics Development in the Therapeutic Discovery Division at MD Anderson Cancer Center prior to joining City of Hope in January of 2022. Taby is also a member of the Cellular, Gene and Tissue Advisory Committee (CTGTAC) for the FDA.
Michael Kuo, MT (ASCP)
Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Vita Therapeutics
Michael Kuo, MT (ASCP), is the Senior Vice President of Manufacturing at Vita Therapeutics. He has more than 26 years of experience in developing novel cell, gene and regenerative medicine therapies to support early-to-late-stage clinical trials. He previously served as MANA Therapeutics’ senior vice president of technical operations and vice president of quality and operations at MaxCyte. Mr. Kuo also served as senior director of quality assurance at Mesoblast and held various CMC leadership positions throughout his career. He has established and directed numerous GMP manufacturing, quality assurance and analytical testing operations; and provided oversight of clinical manufacturing, process development, translational scale-up, technology transfer and analytical testing at major global contract manufacturing and development organizations and contract testing laboratories. Mr. Kuo received his BS degrees in medical technology and microbiology as well as his biomedical regulatory affairs certification from the University of Washington.
What We Discussed: A Different Pathway for Cell Therapy Development and Manufacturing
The cell therapy industry has been characterized by bespoke processes and tailored approaches, resulting in higher costs, slower timelines, and limited scalability. This webinar proposes a shift: what if developers embraced platform processes that align with the proven methods used in the broader biologics industry?
We’ll discuss what it would look like if standard protocols and methods were executed consistently across the same types of equipment, thereby streamlining processes and reducing complexities.
The Power of Platform Processes
By adopting platform processes, cell therapy developers could potentially achieve:
- Reduced Costs. Streamlined processes could translate to reduced development and manufacturing expenses.
- Accelerated Timelines. Standardized methods might expedite development and production timelines, allowing therapies to reach patients faster.
- Enhanced Scalability. Platform processes could unlock the potential for faster and more reliable manufacturing scale-up.
- Minimized Skill Gaps. Consistent methods could help address skill gaps and workforce shortages.
- Focused Innovation. Developers could spend more time enhancing product effectiveness, thereby driving innovation.
- Rapid Delivery. Faster processes could translate to quicker delivery of therapies to patients desperately in need.
How You Can Watch The Webinar On-Demand — Right Now!
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders and position yourself to engage in the ongoing discussion on the future of cell therapy manufacturing.
Simply fill out the form at the top of this page to view the webinar now!