COVID-19 – VJRegenMed

Adoptive T-cell therapy for immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19

admin_vjr_user — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:00:01 +0000

Patients who receive immunosuppressants as a result of organ or hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection and may not benefit from current COVID-19 vaccines. Lena Peter, Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany, describes treating COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients with adoptive T-cell therapy. T-cells derived from donors were isolated and were made resistant to tacrolimus, a common immunosuppressant, via knockout of the gene encoding FKBP12. In vivo studies determined the modified T-cells to effectively target COVID-19 and its variants, and Phase 1 are currently being planned to assess the novel approach. This interview took place at the International Conference on Lymphocyte Engineering (ICLE) 2022.

The effects of COVID-19 on the advanced therapy supply chain

Simon Ng — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:56:20 +0000

Julia Tarasenko, MSc, Marken, Durham, NC, comments on the impact of COVID-19 on the advanced therapy supply chain. Whilst the pandemic has caused great uncertainty within the sector, developers have had to consequently adapt to the changing circumstances and the supply chain has become more robust as a result. As people are now wary of potential setbacks, they are now more diligent in drawing up backup plans. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

The logistics of manufacturing allogeneic therapies on a large scale

Simon Ng — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 12:04:59 +0000

Julia Tarasenko, MSc, Marken, Durham, NC, discusses changes that are needed in the supply chain to adapt to an increasing demand in allogeneic therapies. Pivoting to a one-to-many supply chain is crucial to successfully manufacture allogeneic therapies on a larger scale, as well as focusing on local suppliers and storage, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. She additionally highlights the need to increase biobanking capabilities as the industry shifts to allogeneic therapies. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Novel supply chain changes in the advanced therapies space

Simon Ng — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 12:04:55 +0000

Julia Tarasenko, MSc, Marken, Durham, NC, describes recent trends in supply chains within the in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) industry. As COVID-19 has greatly disrupted the supply chain, just-in-time manufacturing has become more popular due to a dwindling supply of materials, and products can be produced in a matter of a few days from the procurement of the active pharmaceutical ingredient such as viral vectors. In spite of the pandemic, clinical trials are ongoing for advanced therapies, but the industry must consequently adapt to increased demand. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Innovations in viral vector development

Simon Ng — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 12:24:07 +0000

Nathalie Clement, PhD, Unicorn Consultations, Gainesville, FL, discusses strategies for safe and effective viral vector development. Whilst there are a variety of viral vectors including adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, there are common safety concerns. However, collaboration between stakeholders can drive innovation, especially in the case of developing an AAV-based COVID-19 vaccine, which required quick adaptation of existing technology for vaccine manufacturing. Dr Clement additionally describes research to improve vector yields as well as efforts to discover more efficient capsids. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Studying the gut microbiome with 3D modelling

Simon Ng — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 13:01:28 +0000

Giovanni Vozzi, PhD, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, comments on the relationship between the gut microbiota and the body. An in vitro model consisting of patient samples can observe changes in the microbiota from the stomach to the rectum, as well as changes in the metabolites produced and how it affects different tissues. Knowledge of the microbiota can subsequently optimize treatment strategies and the diets of patients to improve outcomes. This interview took place at the 6th World Congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS 2021).

Medical applications of polyhydroxyalkanoates

Simon Ng — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:05:29 +0000

Ipsita Roy, PhD, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, describes the clinical uses of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The polymer has shown to be useful in engineering a variety of tissues including bone, cartilage, pancreas, and kidney, as well as in drug delivery. PHA additionally has potential in delivering vaccines, as it can hold mRNA, which may prove beneficial in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. This interview took place at the 6th World Congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS 2021).

How 4D printing techniques can progress

Simon Ng — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:26:20 +0000

Giovanni Vozzi, PhD, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, provides an overview of what needs to be done to advance the field of 4D printing. Prof. Vozzi highlights the need to realistically mimic tissues, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where detailed lung tissue can be used to study the effects of the virus on the pulmonary system. Techniques in 3D printing also need to be optimized to accurately produce 4D scaffolds. This interview took place at the 6th World Congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS 2021).

Non-viral gene delivery & gene editing: highlights from ESGCT

admin_vjr_user — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 10:38:53 +0000

Ralf Schmid, PhD, MSCR, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, describes some of his highlights from the European Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ESGCT) Virtual Congress 2021, which included important basic and translational research in cell and gene therapies. Dr Schmid discusses advances seen in non-viral delivery strategies for gene therapies following lessons learned from the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. He also explains that much progress has been made in gene editing during the pandemic including the development of new strategies for improving safety and efficacy of gene editing, which hold promise for the treatment of brain disorders in the future. This interview took place at the ESGCT Virtual Congress 2021.

Impact of COVID-19 on the advanced therapies sector

Simon Ng — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 15:26:01 +0000

Christian Schneider, MD, Biopharma Excellence, Munich, Germany, discusses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the advanced therapies sector. Development of cell and gene therapies were accelerated due to the pandemic, as there was an increased focus on solving unmet needs. Regulatory pathways were additionally optimized during COVID-19, enabling expedited authorization of various advanced therapies. This interview took place at Meeting on the Mesa 2021.