With therapies like cell and gene – amongst some of the most significant innovations in modern medicine – the idea of delivering cures for conditions from cancer to diabetes is now within the realm of scientific possibility. But will it be possible to provide the benefits of advanced therapies to all? Should we expect our healthcare systems to foot the bill? And can we re-imagine the development ecosystem to truly realise the potential of cell and gene therapies? In this first of two episodes about curing diseases and cell & gene therapies, we outline why we would want to treat diseases in this way, the main economic barriers to achieving it, and where these exciting new therapies are going next.
Find out more on this week’s episode of Invent: Life Sciences from TTP.
This Week’s Guests
Dr. Dan Strange
Dan is a technologist and engineering leader with a background in tissue biomechanics, regenerative medicine, and mechanical engineering. He’s been at TTP for the past decade, driving forward large development programs from start to finish, as well as being a huge advocate for cell and gene therapies.
Professor Jacob Petersen
Jacob is the head of cell therapy research & development at Novo Nordisk and an adjunct professor in biomedicine at Copenhagen University Medical Faculty. With over 20 years in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology spaces, Jacob has worked in R&D for everything from diabetes to cardiovascular disease, and through his current head of cell therapy R&D role, he is involved in the creation of new treatments in this space from start to finish.
Dr. Kath Mackay
Kath is the director of Life Sciences for Bruntwood SciTech, a company that provides companies with the infrastructure around Cell and Gene. Previously on the executive management team at Innovate UK, Kath has a track record which proves her passion for growing the UK’s life sciences sector, and in her new role is responsible for developing Bruntwood SciTech’s life sciences vision, strategy and services in their campuses, which includes Alderley Park, Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, Citylabs, Manchester and Melbourn Science Park.