Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult focuses on strategic areas to further unlock the full potential of the UK advanced therapy industry

The 2023 Annual Review highlights substantial progress in the UK advanced therapies sector

London, United Kingdom, Thursday 16 November 2023: The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult), an independent innovation and technology organisation specialising in the advancement of cell and gene therapies, today publishes its Annual Review 2023, highlighting the significant opportunity advanced therapies represent to industry, the UK economy, and patients in need.

Advanced therapies have the potential to revolutionise healthcare around the world and significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. The advanced therapy industry is burgeoning, with 11 transformative cell and gene therapies approved and reimbursed in the UK, and over 2,000 advanced therapies are in clinical trials around the world.

The Annual Review 2023 outlines future changes needed to fully unlock the industry’s health and economic potential for the UK and to continue the impressive progress made to date. This includes broadening the application of advanced therapies to more diseases; increasing access to more effective products; increasing efficiency in production; and securing tomorrow’s workforce. Through focusing on these four areas, the CGT Catapult aims to overcome barriers to growth and enable the industry to deliver significant benefits to the UK economy and patients in need.

The review also demonstrates the growth and strength of the UK advanced therapies industry over the period April 2022 to March 2023, for example with the total Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility space dedicated to advanced therapies increasing to over 52,000m², up 31% from the previous financial year.

Over the same period, the CGT Catapult has continued its robust support of the sector, including collaborations with 168 companies on advanced therapy innovation; 98 companies on upskilling and training; and 39 universities and research institutes on a range of projects, including support them to better understand how to commercialise their research.

Matthew Durdy, Chief Executive of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult said: “At the CGT Catapult, we envisage a future where patients have access to a range of safe and effective advanced therapies, capable of addressing more prevalent and difficult-to-treat conditions. This will drive thriving industry. We are fully committed to working towards this vision, working closely with industry, academia and healthcare systems, to identify and address the barriers to growth today and in the years to come.”