DECEMBER 2023LIFE SCIENCES REVIEW8IN MY OPINIONIn your experience as a managing director at Eurofins, what would you say are some of the recent changes you witnessed regarding the implementation and use of technology?The core of my work is linked to the world of cell and gene therapies. It is that part of life sciences where innovation is important and is something that the industry is proactively looking for. Cell and gene therapies are innovative medicine, as they can provide life-changing solutions and ultimately be a physician's weapon. However, there is currently no clear model for those. We have autologous and allogeneic cells, fresh and frozen cells. These are pieces of the puzzle that can make these products simpler from a manufacturing perspective or, more importantly, more sustainable from an industry perspective. Sustainability is the key element for manufacturing cell and gene therapies. How important is collaboration when it comes to developing and researching new medications?Historically, collaboration is how the front runners in cell and gene therapy were developed. Identifying the right strategy or the right target for cell and gene therapy and medicine was a major priority. It is vital that young startups, biotech organizations, and other companies with fresh portfolios can leverage collaboration. In the early days, we witnessed something that reflected true collaboration. In today's world, it is about recognizing the value that each team member brings. That is also why it is so common to see big consortiums at the European level trying to develop new medicine.How has technology helped you accelerate your projects and make your cell and gene therapies safer, scalable, affordable, and more efficient?For many years, the big question was about how we could manufacture cell and gene therapies. Our new focus is on making them sustainable. The important aspect of being sustainable is analyzing the impact of innovation, new tools, and collaboration on cutting costs for manufacturing, goods, and logistics. Engaging with regulatory bodies from a pricing and reimbursement perspective also plays a key role in sustainability. We are at a point where making products more sustainable begins with the manufacturing process. Additionally, we should not solely look at prices from a material-purchasing perspective but the cost to achieve good quality as well. How risky would it be to produce products using tools that, for instance, are not completely valid? If a batch is lost, that is an enormous financial loss. Instead, using advanced and verified technology can reduce the risk created when achieving quality. How important is patient data for achieving and maintaining sustainability?We have often seen a return to a "one product, one patient" mindset, especially for cell and gene therapies, but not all patients respond in the same way. During the clinical phases, segmenting the population and finding a way to identify the proper parameters is very crucial.In one instance, we saw a clinical trial reach the end of phase three and fail because they did not properly segment the population. After reviewing the data, it was Stefano Baila, Managing Director Biologics, EurofinsTHE REVOLUTIONARY POWER OF CELL AND GENE THERAPIES
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