Autologous Cell Therapy Industrial Automation (ACTIA) strengthens technology and IP portfolio of Cellular Origins supporting ongoing development and expanding capabilities of Constellation platform
CAMBRIDGE, UK, 02 July 2024: Cellular Origins, a TTP Company, focused on enabling scalable, cost-effective, and efficient manufacture of cell and gene therapies (CGTs), announces the acquisition of the ACTIA (Autologous Cell Therapy Industrial Automation) Platform IP, developed by Geoff Hodge whilst CEO of SOTIO Biotech US. The ACTIA Platform complements Cellular Origins’ existing approach and will accelerate and expand R&D efforts to further develop the Company’s robotic solution for automated cell therapy manufacturing, Constellation™.
Launched in May 2023, Constellation combines advanced automation robotics with aseptic fluid-handling technologies in a highly flexible and scalable system. Uniquely, the platform physically and digitally integrates with a wide range of existing bioprocessing equipment, enabling users to adopt its use without requiring significant changes to either the workflow or equipment, alleviating the risks and time that come with process redevelopment.
The ACTIA Platform is focussed on the needs of autologous cell therapy manufacturing and allows for massively multiplex and distributed industrial automation. With this technology, users can selectively increase capacity to target process bottlenecks, typically the expansion step, alongside random access to any process step or patient dose. Ultimately, the platform enables truly industrialised, flexible and highly efficient manufacture.
The acquisition of the ACTIA IP platform continues the ongoing drive by Cellular Origins to address the challenges of manufacturing cell therapies at scale. Complementing the Company’s recent partnership with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult to develop unique strategies for seamless integration of bioprocessing equipment1, the ACTIA platform will enable cell therapy developers access to best-in-class unit operations within the Constellation platform. Taken together, these key developments will support customers achieve faster routes to scalable manufacture of cell therapies whilst simultaneously reducing risk.
Dr Edwin Stone, CEO at Cellular Origins, said: “The acquisition of the ACTIA Platform IP shows Cellular Origins continued dedication to creating the most efficient, cost effective and scalable solution to cell therapy manufacturing. Combined with ongoing R&D, this expansion of our technology and IP portfolio underpins our commitment to develop Constellation to solve the challenge of affordable, large-scale production of cell therapies that meets the needs of our customers and ensures we can offer the right solution for long-term success.”
Geoffrey Hodge, former CEO of SOTIO Biotech US and Scientific Advisor, Cellular Origins, commented: “The approach of stringing together sequential unit ops, as we did to manufacture recombinant proteins, does not meet the unique needs of autologous cell therapy. Constellation has already demonstrated its capabilities to transform manufacturing of cell therapies, offering an easily accessible route to cost- and space-efficient, large-scale production. ACTIA further augments Constellation, and the ambition to revolutionise cell therapy manufacturing and deliver life-saving therapies to more patients than ever before.”
