Growing new capabilities with German company Rentschler Biopharma SE
Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult partnered with German based Rentschler Biopharma to enable the establishment of new ATMP development and manufacturing capabilities in the UK, to benefit the UK and international demand and further strengthen the UK ecosystem and international supply chain.
We are excited to take this next big step in our evolution and address the growing industry demand for ATMP manufacturing capacity and viral vector supply. With one of the world’s leading cell and gene therapy clusters, the UK is an ideal location for us to establish our Centre of Excellence for cell and gene therapy. We look forward to working with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult as we invest in this growing field. They are well established in this important market, enabling us to immediately tap into the organisation’s network and utilise the UK’s strong expertise and supply chain in cell and gene therapy manufacturing.
Strengthening the UK ecosystem through inward investment
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s state-of-the-art Manufacturing Innovation Centre located in Stevenage, is at the centre of one of the world’s leading cell and gene therapy clusters.
27% of European advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) companies are operating in the UK, where there are now more than 90 advanced therapy developers, compared to only 22 in 2012. In 2020 there was a 50% increase in the number of ATMPs clinical trials run in the UK, bringing this number to 154, accounting for 12% of all global ATMP clinical trials, and these numbers are predicted to increase further.
Within the growing ATMP industry, there is an increasing academic and commercial demand for new development and manufacturing capabilities for clinical trial supply, including viral vectors supply. In February 2021, Rentschler Biopharma SE, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organisation, and Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult entered into a collaboration to enable Rentschler to set up their new processes and capabilities whilst enabling the establishment of new capacity for the UK to benefit from the national and international ATMP supply chain. Rentschler Biopharma will make a significant investment to set up their ATMP development and manufacturing capabilities at the Stevenage site over five years, and will leverage the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s expertise in ATMP manufacturing, as well as benefit from the clusters and ecosystem that have developed around Stevenage and across the UK.
The investment in the UK cell and gene therapy industry is expected to further accelerate the development of the vital infrastructure and skilled jobs needed to meet the rising demand for manufacturing capacity in the UK and globally, and streamline the supply chain for these advanced therapies.