Vaud-based start-up Limula and Valais-based medtech CEIDOS have received a grant of EUR 1.14 million from Innosuisse, through the Eurostars initiative, to develop a platform dedicated to the automated production of cell and gene therapy products.
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have shown exceptional clinical efficacy for the treatment of multiple forms of incurable cancers. However, most eligible patients may never receive these life-saving treatments as there are still significant hurdles in manufacturing these therapies at scale.
Limula is offering an automated technology for end-to-end production of CAR-T cell therapies that allows for carrying out all steps of the manufacturing process in a single self-contained device. The solution can potentially change the manufacturing paradigm and make these life-changing solutions at accessible costs while minimizing any manual interventions required.
A joint project aims to augment Limula’s solution by leveraging technology and expertise from two companies, CEIDOS and Stemmatters.
CEIDOS develops C-NETICS, an automated system for continuously monitoring cell density and viability in a non-destructive way. C-NETICS comprises a single-use cartridge that allows cell counting and characterization using microelectrodes and image analysis using an embedded digital microscope. Artificial Intelligence is used to extract rich information from real-time data.
Based in Portugal, Stemmmaters is a private regenerative medicine company providing contract development and manufacturing services for cell-based products and biologics.
A perfect synergy of skills for the benefit of technological innovation
Highlighting the perfect synergy of skills between the cantons of Vaud and Valais for the benefit of technological innovation in biopharma, the project will combine Limula and CEIDOS’ closed-loop real-time cell culture monitoring into a complementary product offering, while also leveraging Stemmatters’s expertise in cell therapy process development and cGMP manufacturing towards fully closed and automated manufacturing of cell-based immunotherapies.
The proof-of-concept financed by the Eurostars’ EUR 1.14 million grant will demonstrate the value of a modular platform, addressing the needs of organizations involved in developing new CGT products, from preclinical research to commercialization.
Beyond the collaboration, Limula will be responsible for the commercialization of the integrated technology to deliver a scalable and cost-effective manufacturing platform as soon as possible to help bring more CGT products into the clinic for the benefit of patients.
