Quell bolsters manufacturing capabilities with CGT Catapult collaboration

Quell Therapeutics has partnered with Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult expanding its manufacturing capabilities to develop engineered T-regulatory cell therapies.

The collaboration will see T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapy firm, Quell, bolster its clinical manufacturing capacity and capabilities at Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s (CGT Catapult) recently opened large-scale production facility in Stevenage, UK.

“By collaborating with CGT Catapult at the manufacturing innovation center in Stevenage, Quell can setup additional GMP manufacturing operations benefitting from infrastructure, expertise and a surrounding cell and gene therapy ecosystem, which is favourable for the growth of companies moving towards clinical adoption,” a spokesperson for Quell told BioProcess Insider.

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“Quell can leverage the CGT Catapult’s expertise in manufacturing setup and technology development, as well as the cell and gene therapy cluster and ecosystem that has developed around Stevenage and across the UK.”

This partnership adds a second facility to Quell’s manufacturing operations and enables the firm to develop and scale the production of its multi-modular engineered Treg cell therapies for clinical trials.

The firm is preparing for the clinical trial of its lead candidate Treg cell therapy QEL-001, which aims to prevent organ rejection in liver transplant patients. The Phase I/II trial is anticipated to begin in the first quarter of 2022.

To service the added capacity, Quell is “planning to hire up to 20 new staff by the end of 2022, with further growth expected in subsequent years.”

Quell joins other companies that have taken residency at CGT Catapult including Achilles Therapeutic, Autolus, Freeline, GSK, and Rentschler.

No financial details have been disclosed.