by
Likhesh Sharma
Product Manager Cytiva,
Bengaluru, India
The Series on Advancements in Cell Therapy (SACT) was launched in January with the inaugural Workshop on Cell Therapy organized by the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Mumbai, India and Cytiva. The SACT workshop was held on January 6th, 2023, in Mumbai and online, with around 300 participants. The event focused on promoting collaboration, innovation, and skill development in the field of cell therapy. The event was organized by Dr. Albeena Nisar, Scientific Officer and Senior Lead, Process Development, Analytics & Clinical Manufacturing, CAR T & Cell Therapy Centre ACTREC, Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai, and Dr. Likhesh Sharma, Product Manager Cell & Gene Therapy, Cytiva. The SACT platform has more than 45 speakers from 25 organizations as part of their faculty and will organize a series of workshops in the future.
The SACT Workshop on Cell Therapy included experts from academia, industry, and regulatory authorities, who shared their insights on the latest advancements in cell therapy, challenges in the field, and future directions for research and development. The conference began with a keynote address by Dr. (Surg Cdr) Gaurav Narula, Founder & Professor Paediatric Oncology & Health Sciences, Principal Investigator CAR T-Cell Therapy Centre & Cell Therapy Program at Tata Memorial Center, HBNI, Mumbai. Dr. Narula also served as the chair of the scientific committee for the conference.
The workshop featured talks by leading experts in cell and gene therapy, including Dr. Nirali Shah, Dr. Rizwan Romee, and Dr. Rahul Purwar. These experts provided an indigenous perspective on a pragmatic approach to the buy versus build manufacturing dilemma in cell therapy. Their talks were informative and engaging, providing attendees with valuable insights into the manufacturing challenges facing the industry and strategies for overcoming these challenges.
There was two-panel discussions on the challenges of process development in cell therapy products and unlocking the power of collaboration to fuel cell therapy development in India. The panel discussions featured representatives from the industry, academia, and regulatory authorities and explored the regulatory challenges facing the industry, strategies for overcoming these challenges, and the need for collaboration and innovation to advance the field.
The Q&A session of the panel discussions was particularly lively, with attendees asking questions and engaging in discussions on a variety of topics related to cell therapy. The discussions covered a range of issues, including regulatory challenges, manufacturing strategies, and the importance of collaboration and innovation in advancing the field.
The event also included a facility tour of CAR-T & Cell Therapy Centre (CTCTC) cGMP facility at Tata Memorial Centre, where Phase I clinical trial products are manufactured. This tour provided attendees with an opportunity to see firsthand the manufacturing and quality control processes for cell therapy products. This tour was particularly valuable for those who were new to the field or were interested in learning about the latest manufacturing techniques and technologies.
SACT Workshop on Cell Therapy was the inaugural event of the SACT platform, which aims to promote collaboration, innovation, and skill development in the field of cell therapy in India. The panel discussions on the challenges of process development in cell therapy products and unlocking the power of collaboration to fuel cell therapy development in India were informative and engaging. The facility tour of CTCTC cGMP provided attendees with an opportunity to see firsthand the manufacturing and quality control processes for cell therapy products. The conference was a testament to the growing interest and potential for cell therapy in India and the need for collaboration and innovation to advance the field.