New collaboration to accelerate ATMP development
Utrecht, September 17, 2024. During a meeting at the Innovation Center for Advanced Therapies (ICAT) at Utrecht Science Park in Zeist, representatives from four pioneering consortia supported by the Dutch National Growth Fund—NXTGEN Hightech, RegMed XB, Biotech Booster, and Oncode Accelerator—gathered to share their achievements to date and future plans. Key areas for collaboration were also identified, and the productive day resulted in the drafting of a joint statement and a call for new partners.
All four consortia focus on innovating cell-based therapeutic products and approaches, such as in regenerative medicine and immunotherapy, to provide new treatments for a range of diseases, from cancer to autoimmune disorders.
With the ultimate goal of bringing new therapies to patients, NXTGEN Hightech, RegMed XB, and Oncode Accelerator are also working on building, innovating, and scaling the technology and infrastructure needed for the production of these advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) in the Netherlands. Biotech Booster, a National Growth Fund program established to support the commercialization of biotechnological discoveries in the Netherlands, will be a key collaboration partner to bring the innovative medicines developed within the consortia to market as quickly as possible. "The faster we can bring biotechnological discoveries, such as innovative medicines, to market, the sooner they will have a tangible impact on society, which we believe should be the ultimate goal of every researcher," says Nettie Buitelaar, CEO of Biotech Booster.
Jürgen Kuball, professor of hematology at UMC Utrecht and leader of the Cell and Gene Therapy Workstream within the Oncode Accelerator program, opened the event on September 17 by explaining how the four initiatives can collaborate to overcome bottlenecks in bringing ATMPs to the clinical phase for first-in-human studies. "Early simulation of GMP production environments in research and development, mixing and matching different technologies, and combining expertise in genetic modification, viral vectors, quality control, and regulation will help us shorten the development cycle of new ATMPs. This provides the opportunity to improve early access to future cell therapies for our patients."
Bernard Mulder, CEO of RegMed XB, added: "This collaboration is crucial for the future of cell therapies and regenerative medicine. By working together with partners specialized in ATMPs, we can accelerate the development of new treatments. Our goal is to move from care to cure, so that patients with chronic diseases gain faster access to innovative therapies. Together, we are committed to making this vision a reality."
"In these four national Growth Fund initiatives, clear complementarities can be found," added Ingrid Relou, program manager Biomedical Production Technologies at NXTGEN Hightech. "NXTGEN Hightech aims for a healthier future by developing next-generation scalable production technologies in five market segments. In cell and gene therapy, we strive to push the boundaries of cell cultivation by developing next-generation bioreactor technologies for scalable production with a high degree of automation and real-time biosensing. By joining forces and leveraging each other’s complementary expertise and innovative approaches, we can scale up Dutch innovation potential in cell and gene therapy and truly accelerate breakthroughs."
Karlijn Wilschut, project manager Pharma at Oncode Accelerator, closed the event by highlighting Oncode Accelerator’s innovation approach in oncology R&D, as well as a call for applications for Demonstrator Projects: preclinical discovery and development projects in oncology supported by Oncode Accelerator. Through Demonstrator Projects, oncology researchers can access Oncode Accelerator’s Innovation Platforms—well-defined patient cohorts, organoids, and AI—as well as co-funding for projects.
Interested parties can download the full joint statement here. Furthermore, NXTGEN Hightech, RegMed XB, and Oncode Accelerator are actively seeking new collaborations. Investors, industry leaders, and skilled professionals are invited to get in touch and join efforts to accelerate the development of these life-saving therapies.
Contact person:
Dr. Emma Martinez Sanchez
Program Manager Cell and Gene Therapy
Department of Hematology
University Medical Centre Utrecht
e.martinezsanchez-5@umcutrecht.nl
About NXTGEN Hightech
NXTGEN Hightech was officially launched in May 2023. The program aims to stimulate economic growth in the Netherlands and establish the Dutch high-tech sector as the leading cluster in Europe. To achieve this, the NXTGEN Hightech program plans to invest approximately €1 billion by 2030 and involve 330 partners. The National Growth Fund supports this program with €450 million. Partners in the NXTGEN Hightech Biomed05 consortium include: Scinus, Demcon, Helia Biomonitoring, Batavia Biosciences, Ncardia, Lionix International, ChiralVision, Bronkhorst, TNCBio, TU Eindhoven, University of Twente, and UMC Utrecht.
Website: https://nxtgenhightech.nl
About RegMed XB
RegMed XB stands for Regenerative Medicine Crossing Borders. It is a public-private partnership focused on bringing regenerative medicine solutions to patients and creating a new industrial sector in the participating regions. RegMed XB unites leading scientists from Dutch and Belgian universities and institutes, along with a range of companies, in so-called “Moonshots”: long-term visions of breakthroughs for patients translated into research roadmaps with specific short-term milestones. Each Moonshot is supported by a Health Fund and associated patient organizations, placing patient impact at the center of RegMed XB.
Website: https://regmedxb.com
About the Innovation Centre for Advanced Therapies (ICAT)
In 2021, a National Growth Fund grant (€56 million in total) was awarded to RegMed XB, with Utrecht receiving €12.7 million. This fund will help tackle the challenges of regenerative medicine by supporting the establishment of a pilot factory for regenerative gene therapies. Part of this will be set up in Utrecht and Zeist: the Innovation Centre for Advanced Therapies (ICAT). ICAT aims to improve and accelerate the translation of research into healthcare solutions by bringing together all relevant expertise and infrastructure for the development of regenerative treatments, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), including tissue-based products, cell and gene therapies, and disease models.
Website: https://icat-utrecht.nl/en
About Biotech Booster
Biotech Booster is a national program funded by the Dutch National Growth Fund that supports the commercialization of biotechnological discoveries in the Netherlands. Biotech Booster offers financial support, mentorship, and networking opportunities to guide scientists and entrepreneurs from the idea phase to an investable or commercial proposition. The goal is to ensure that the benefits of biotechnology reach society faster and with greater impact. Additionally, Biotech Booster facilitates close collaboration between public and private partners in the biotechnology sector and has established five thematic clusters based on biotechnology focus areas: White: industrial biotechnology & production (TC 1); Green: AgroFood biotechnology (TC 2); Red: human health, diagnostics, therapies (TC 3, 4 & 5).
Website: https://biotechbooster.nl
About Oncode Accelerator
Oncode Accelerator is a public-private partnership funded by the Dutch National Growth Fund that brings together six major coordinating partners: Leiden University, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, the Princess Máxima Center, UMC Utrecht, and the Oncode Accelerator Foundation. The partners believe that preclinical drug development and therapy development can be significantly accelerated and made less risky by using an innovative combination of well-defined patient cohorts, organoid models, and artificial intelligence platforms. Oncode Accelerator’s preclinical drug development pipelines, called workstreams, focus on the four most prominent types of cancer therapies: small molecules; biologicals; cell and gene therapies; and therapeutic vaccines.
Website: https://www.oncodeaccelerator.nl