Delara Motlagh – VJRegenMed

The importance of collaboration in cell and gene therapy development

Simon Ng — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:16:28 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, provides an overview on the significance of reinforcing collaboration and harmonization across different stakeholders involved in the development of advanced therapies. Due to the complexity and novelty of cell and gene therapies, multiple stakeholders are required throughout the development process from logistics to regulatory approval. Dr Motlagh additionally highlights existing collaborative efforts between academia and industry, where academic institutions can foster innovation and pharmaceuticals enable the commercialization of products. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Improving the scalability of advanced therapies

Simon Ng — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:16:27 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, comments on the challenges in scaling-up cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Flexibility in the initial process development of the product is vital to make changes that may be needed in later stages of production. Dr Motlagh also emphasizes the role automation plays in expediting the manufacturing process, especially towards the final stages, as well as in facilitating regulatory approval of the therapies. Platforms that provide closed and Good Manufacturing Practice compliant systems will additionally be crucial to scale-up the commercialization of advanced therapies. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Enhancing patient access to advanced therapies

Simon Ng — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:06:06 +0000

Whilst the cell and gene therapy (CGT) sector has greatly expanded, patient access to these treatments remain poor. Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, describes strategies to improve patient access to cell and gene therapies. Dr Motlagh emphasizes the need to improve reimbursement pathways, which will have to take into account the curative nature of these treatments. She additionally highlights current accessibility problems patients face, as these therapies can only be typically administered from a select number of medical centers or academic institutions. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Supporting apheresis and manufacturing processes in the CGT space

Simon Ng — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:06:04 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, comments on the current activity of Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies within the cell and gene therapy (CGT) sector. The Spectra Optia system enables apheresis and cell collection from patients, an important process where a vast majority of advanced therapies begin with apheresis. Dr Motlagh additionally describes the Quantum Cell Expansion System, which provides a platform to scale-up cell expansion and modification in a sterile environment. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Regulatory challenges in automating CGT manufacturing

Simon Ng — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:27:41 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, discusses hurdles associated with automating processes within the cell and gene therapy (CGT) field. Despite collaborative efforts between manufacturers and regulatory authorities, supply chain issues persist. Dr Motlagh additionally highlights the need for companies to fully understand every aspect of their current and future products. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

Automated manufacturing in cell and gene therapy

admin_vjr_user — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:33:49 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, highlights the importance of automating complex manufacturing processes in cell and gene therapy (CGT) in order to reduce variability, mitigate process risks and improve consistency and reproducibility in the end product. Dr Motlagh describes the current landscape of manufacturing automation in CGT, as well as a range of automation technologies and solutions that are currently available, including the Spectra Optia system for therapeutic apheresis, the Quantum platform for cell expansion of multiple cell types and the Finia system, which allows automation of the fill and finish step. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.

Optimizing blood supply chain management in cell & gene therapy

admin_vjr_user — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:33:48 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, discusses optimizing the blood supply chain in the field of cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Current challenges include an increasing demand for source material for cell and gene therapies, variability in the methods used for the collection, handling and transport of source material, as well as patient variability. Minimizing variability in the supply chain by standardizing the collection process across all sites and improving patient access to treatments by regionalizing manufacturing processes could increase the quality and availability of approved therapies in the future. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.

What can CGT manufacturing learn from the COVID-19 pandemic?

admin_vjr_user — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:33:47 +0000

Delara Motlagh, PhD, MS, EMBA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Lakewood, CO, considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the manufacturing of cell and gene therapies. Despite the accelerated development of vaccines and an increased number of accelerated designations, patient enrolment to cell and gene therapy clinical trials has been a key challenge. The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of supply continuity, rapid response services and a focus on product quality. Given supply challenges for materials during the pandemic, manufacturers of cell and gene therapies could begin to stockpile materials and take a different approach to supplier selection and inventory management in the future. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.