CGT Catapult enters into viral vector manufacturing technology collaboration with Freeline Therapeutics

Freeline’s technology uses engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for the treatment of bleeding and other debilitating disorders. Freeline will deploy their proprietary manufacturing platform for production of clinical supply in one of the CGT Catapult’s newly built manufacturing centre modules.

Freeline Therapeutics chief development officer Jan Thirkettle  said: “We are delighted to establish this collaboration with Catapult as we seek to deliver our ambition to establish a global leadership position with a ‘next generation’ AAV gene therapy platform. “

Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult CEO Keith Thompson said: This is an excellent opportunity for the CGT Catapult to collaborate on the frontier of manufacturing technology. Our world-leading GMP standard manufacturing facility represents an ideal environment for Freeline to further develop its AAV-based platform, for use in one of the most promising areas of gene therapy research.”

The manufacturing centre, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2018, will provide the UK with the manufacturing facilities needed for large scale cell and gene therapy clinical studies and commercialisation, in line with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

Its innovative business model allows the development of new manufacturing processes in a collaborative environment.

The centre features a series of large clean room modules and is designed to enable companies to accelerate and scale manufacturing of these innovative products and collaborate on the new technologies needed in manufacture and supply to take treatments from the factory to the clinic.

In 2017, the centre received a £12 million award from the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, significantly increasing its capacity.