🏭 The company claims its mini-factory can produce 6,000 CAR-T doses per year, with a much lower cost.
💡 The system consists of a compact unit that can house up to 15 trays, each containing a single patient dose.
🔬 The entire process, including cell sorting, selection, and expansion, is automated and delivered via a metal structure with clamps.
🌍 CellQuest aims to address the challenge of producing CAR-T cells at scale and expects demand for these therapies to increase in the future.
💰 Current CAR-T therapies typically cost between $500,000 and $1,000,000 per patient, making manufacturing efficiency crucial.
👩🔬 The company has focused on using well-established technologies in their micro-factory to ensure scalability, safety, and robustness. They are also working on a fill-and-finish machine.
📅 CellQuest plans to have a prototype of the fill-and-finish machine ready by the end of the year.
Introduction:
CellQuest, a French company, aims to commercialize an automated system for manufacturing CAR-T at scale. This system could help contract manufacturers reduce costs and scale-out CAR-T therapies.
- Producing CAR-T cells at scale is a challenge in manufacturing these therapies, but CellQuest’s automated system can manufacture 6,000 CAR-T doses a year in less than 300 square feet of space.
- The technology consists of a unit about the size of a fridge, which can accommodate up to 15 trays that work as mini production units. Each tray contains a single patient dose and all necessary production steps.
- The entire process is automated and delivered through a metal structure with clamps. The pouch is connected, sterilely, to cartridges containing pre-filled and pre-dosed ingredients for the manufacturing process.
- CellQuest has opted for well-established technologies in developing their micro-factory, making them unique in this emerging area.
- The company is also working on a fill-and-finish machine to complete their manufacturing process.
Conclusion:
CellQuest’s automated system could revolutionize the manufacturing of CAR-T therapies by enabling cost reduction and scalability. Their approach utilizes well-established technologies and has the potential to meet the increasing demand for CAR-T therapies in the future.
