According to both companies, the goal of the collaboration is to address the ‘critical need’ for efficient collection, cryopreservation, quality control and logistics capabilities of leukapheresis materials to support various aspects of the cell therapy workflow.
Cell collection through leukapheresis procedure is a key enabling step for manufacturing advanced cell therapies products (ATMPs), cutting-edge medicines made from human cells or tissue that are today life-saving therapies.
The quantity and quality of collected immune cells, like T cells and natural killer cells used for cell therapies, directly impact the potency, safety and efficacy of the final therapeutic product.
As such, efficient cryopreservation and logistics of these leukapheresis materials are critical to ensure the preservation of cell viability and functionality during transportation and storage.
SCTbio and Cyto-care.eu said they are ‘dedicated to pushing the boundaries’ of delivering the ‘highest quality and integrity’ of blood materials drawn from leukapheresis to healthcare professionals in Europe.
Together, they will provide a ‘reliable and accessible’ platform for collecting, characterizing, preserving, and transporting leukapheresis samples.
Luděk Sojka, CEO of SCTbio, said: “We are thrilled to combine both forces and expertise with Cyto-care.eu, a European leader in producing quality blood-based products from leukapheresis, through this strategic partnership.”
“As the cell and gene therapy field continues to advance, the demand for leukapheresis materials is expected to increase. Clinical trials and commercial production of these therapies require a consistent and reliable supply of high-quality blood-derived products to meet patient needs.”
Klaus Fischer, managing director of Cyto-care.eu, added: “Through rigorous analysis and in-depth discussions with the experts of the field, the Needle-to-Freezing time has been identified as a crucial factor for success for the development and manufacturing of ATMPs.”
“Through this collaboration with SCTbio, we can ensure that our leukapheresis products from patients and from donors continue to meet the high-quality standards of our customers’ requirements.”
