CGT Catapult expands into Scotland

GCT Catapult will construct offices and laboratories in Edinburgh, Scotland to support the cell and gene therapy sector and drive product development.

The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) aims to give additional regional support to the cell and gene therapy industry across the UK, which will drive product development, adoption, and clinical trials.

CGT Catapult Edinburgh is a partnership with the University of Edinburgh and will be placed at the Institute for Regeneration and Repair located at Edinburgh BioQuarter.

Image: iStock/Manakin

“CGT Catapult Edinburgh aims to collaborate in a range of translational related areas including good manufacturing practices, clinical trial acceleration and ATMP adoption to help develop new technologies and drive formation and spin outs of companies in this sector,” CEO at CGT Catapult Matthew Durdy told BioProcess Insider.

“This effort will continue to strengthen the UK’s position as a prominent centre for cell and gene therapy development in Europe and drive the formation of a cell and gene therapy cluster in Scotland.”

The Center will be led by Jacqueline Barry, chief clinical officer at CGT Catapult and will work with academic and pharmaceutical services in Scotland to push advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) and further build the UK’s importance in ATMP development and production.

“It is anticipated that initially an additional 30 experts will be required to staff the new offices and laboratories, but this will grow as needed to work with the industry in the region,” Durdy told us.

Durdy did not comment on any financial details.

CGT Catapult also lead the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network  (ATSTN) initiative, which was formed to drive the sector and create economic opportunities with industry focused training and employment.

In May, contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Roslin CT agreed to provide advanced therapy and vaccine manufacturing training in collaboration with the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance.