[Image from Fresenius Kabi/Cellular Origins]
The agreement leverages both companies’ expertise in CGTs. They aim to digitally and physically integrate Fresenius Kabi’s suite of cell therapy processing technologies with Cellular Origins’ CGT robotic manufacturing platform, Constellation. With this integration, the companies aim to assist cell therapy developers in the manufacturing of their therapies at scale, using their preferred processing tools.
Cellular Origins’ Constellation automation platform delivers scalable, cost-effective and efficient CGT manufacturing. Fresenius Kabi specializes in products, technologies and services for the therapy and care of patients with critical and chronic conditions.
The companies plan to begin by focusing on integrating Fresenius Kabi’s CUe cell processing system. They target an integrated, functional system that enables Cue to be fully automated with robotic consumable transport, connection, installation, deinstallation, full process operation and control and data management via the hardware and digital layer of Constellation. This approach moves toward creating fully automated, 24/7 CGT manufacturing at true scale.
Fresenius Kabi designed its Cell Therapy Technologies portfolio to deliver scalable solutions for cell therapy research and manufacture. Cue has a flexible design and delivers results across a range of critical applications. Those include final formulation and culture media exchange.
The companies believe the collaboration could boost production efficiencies and reduce inconsistencies. Following the Cue integration, they plan to focus on Fresenius Kabi’s wider cell therapy technologies portfolio.
“Cellular Origins has developed Constellation to enable fully industrialised manufacture of cell and gene therapies,” said Dr. Edwin Stone, CEO at Cellular Origins. “Forming strong collaborations is essential to ensuring the industry can implement the transformative power of automation whilst using the tools that are best for the biology and, therefore, for patients. Fresenius Kabi is an industry-leading developer of automated technologies to support the production of cell therapies. This is why we are excited to be working closely with their team to unlock the power of automation throughout the entire manufacturing process, with the goal of bringing life-saving therapies to patients, faster and more affordably.”
“For Fresenius Kabi, automation is crucial to addressing some of the biggest research and manufacture challenges in our industry. This is a major reason for our collaboration with Cellular Origins,” said Dr Christian Hauer, president, MedTech at Fresenius Kabi. “Our cell therapy technologies are designed with automation at their core, to provide new levels of precision and efficiency. By working closely with the team at Cellular Origins, we hope to advance the CGT industry by helping therapy developers embrace automation during the production process with the goal of ultimately benefitting patients.”
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