CCRM, OmniaBio, Avectas to Collaborate on Cell Therapy Manufacturing Improvements

Editor’s Take: Companies are using AI technologies and workflows to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability in pharma manufacturing.

CCRM, its CDMO subsidiary OmniaBio, and Avectas reached an agreement to evaluate Avectas’ automated, integrated, scalable cell therapy manufacturing platform.

Through this evaluation, the companies hope to discover how Avectas’ platform can pair with CCRM’s growing global network. Additionally, they want to see if the platform aligns with OmniaBio’s efforts to build more standardized, automated, scalable workflows.

CCRM and OmniaBio Model

CCRM and OmniaBio have a global “hub and spoke” model that supports regional manufacturing of advanced therapies. Currently, OmniaBio is Canada’s largest cell and gene therapy CDMO.

Right now, OmniaBio is developing an AI-enabled “Intelligent Factory” to increase manufacturing efficiency, consistency, and scalability through automation and robotics. At the same time, Avectas’ next generation manufacturing platform addresses central challenges in scale-up, scale-out, automation, and cost-effectiveness.

Avectas Predicts Ireland Impact

Avectas CEO Michael Maguire, PhD, commented on the impact the partnership may have for his company’s home base in Ireland.

“This is an important moment for advanced therapies in Ireland and internationally,” Maguire said. “We’re excited at the prospect of a CCRM Ireland and proud to be selected to have our manufacturing platform evaluated.”

“We first collaborated with Avectas in 2020,” CCRM President and CEO and OmniaBio Interim CEO Michael May, PhD, said. “[We] have closely followed the progress of Avectas’ manufacturing platform over the past several years. Platforms designed for complex cell therapy workflows will be critical to enabling regional manufacturing and expanding affordable access to therapies.”