Cell and Gene Therapy at Cambridge Consultants

The cell and gene therapy team here at CC has a comprehensive breadth of relevant expertise. Our unique blend of capabilities – at the exciting intersection of biology, engineering and computation – allows us to deliver complex devices, services and technologies from concept to creation.

We collaborate with cell and gene therapy development organisations and tool providers to advance their ambitions in the space. Our role is to help revolutionise drug discovery, cell and gene manufacturing processes and equipment – as we strive to enable these life-changing therapies for patients around the world.

Talk to us about your challenge

We work with many ambitious clients

We work with both therapy developers who need custom platforms to enable their biology, and tool providers seeking to bring solutions to market that will fit the needs of this exciting and dynamic sector.

Solving the problem of microbial contamination – using new sensors and AI for real-time detection

Cell and gene therapy and regenerative medicine are regarded as the future – but manufacturing can be hindered by slow, laborious and expensive sterility testing. This whitepaper goes behind the scenes of a significant breakthrough for contamination detection during cell and gene therapy manufacturing. It tells the story of PureSentry, a prototype device for on-line, real-time detection of potential contamination in the manufacturing process for advanced therapies.

Catapult

The future of process analytics in cell and gene therapy manufacture

The CGT Catapult – established by the UK government’s Innovate UK agency – has formed a consortium to accelerate process analytic technology development and reduce costs in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The CC cell and gene therapy team is playing a role in helping to ensure that therapies can be developed for use in health services throughout the world.

Cell Preserve

Understanding the life of a therapeutic cell

Understanding the behaviour of cell therapies once they’ve been administered is crucial to improving patient benefit.  We developed a system as a multidisciplinary project between our microfluidics and digital imaging and AI teams to demonstrate our capabilities in EWOD, optics and machine vision. This system allows single cells to be propagated and analysed over the course of days, and analysis of both the cells and also excreted metabolites and cytokines.

Gene therapy delivery to the eye: it’s time to focus on the cutting-edge candidates

The number of effective cell and gene therapies is growing rapidly, especially for treating ocular diseases. However, much less attention has been focused on the critical issue of delivery to the eye. Accurate delivery of advanced therapies to the specific tissue within the eye offers the prospect of better therapeutic outcomes with fewer side effects.

Tech, tools & facilities

細胞培養ラボ

細胞培養ラボ

ライフサイエンスおよび合成生物学の施設には、最近設立された細胞培養ラボも含まれます。最も先進的な医薬品を提供するために、高度治療および医薬品分野のお客様をサポートし、細胞治療や遺伝子治療の開発に必要な細胞を観察、培養、保存するための各種ツールを提供しています。

Molecular biology labs

Molecular Biology labs

Our microbiology lab enables us to genetically modify micro-organisms and characterise them. Our facilities are containment level 2 rated for handling pathogenic strains and our in-house libraries allow rapid modular DNA construct design and assembly. We are particularly interested in building organisms that are biological sensors for healthcare and industrial biotech applications. 

Life Science Labs

ライフサイエンス・ラボ

厳格に管理されたクラスIIラボは、規制管理された環境下での医薬品、ライセンス物質、有害物質、およびヒトサンプルの取り扱いと実験のために特別に設計されています。また当社の設備には、試作品や製品の厳密な検証と品質保証のための測定機器、顕微鏡検査装置、製品試験装置が備わっています。

Prototyping workshops

プロトタイプ生産工場

メカや電子基板プロトタイプ生産工場では、アイデアを実現し、製品価値を説得力をもって実証するプロトタイプを生産しています。試作品は、ISO 9001、ISO 13485、およびISO 14001規制に準拠した極めて高い品質基準を維持しています。最新のCNCおよびフライス盤、旋盤、溶接設備、ワイヤーハーネス、ケーブル組立て工具を使用することにより素早くパーツを製造し、検証作業やユーザートライアル用向けに実物大で動作可能なプロトタイプを組み立てることができます。

Engineering workshops

Engineering workshops

Using hand and machine tools, laser cutters and 3D printers, this is where we create custom parts, build test jigs and fixtures and modify existing components. This means that our engineers can make changes to test pieces and prototypes whenever they need to, 24 hours a day.

Facility_Mechanical CAD

Computer-aided design & engineering

Using the latest CAD and CAE systems, we design 3D parts for single tests pieces through to complete production assemblies with thousands of individual components. In addition to maintaining the most up-to-date software, we invest in developing proprietary tools and processes. Meanwhile, data management and version control systems allow us to work anywhere securely and efficiently.

光学ラボ

光学ラボ

光学ラボでは、複雑で高精度な光学レイアウトを構築することができ、一般的に実装前のプロトタイプ設計や新技術の検証に使われます。ハイパワー(クラス4)レーザー加工用の設定可能なインターロック制御エリアを備えた6台のハイスペック光学ベンチと、干渉法、分光法、低ノイズ蛍光画像法、そして光子計数のための専門設備を備えています。ひとつのスペースを別々のレーザー制御エリアに分割することにより、複数の実験を同時に行うことができます。そのため、装置の台数にとらわれることなく創造的なソリューションを開発することができるのです。

Microfluidics lab

マイクロ流体ラボ

当社のマイクロ流体ラボは、クリーンルームにおいてポリジメチルシロキサン(PDMS)マイクロ流体デバイスの試作品を迅速に開発するための設備を備えています。最先端の顕微鏡検査で機能するテスト・カートリッジを光学的に検査し、スプレーテック・レーザー回折システムで粒度分布を測定することが可能です。

Meet our cell & gene therapy experts

Providing unique solutions that take advantage of the breadth and depth of our collective knowledge is immensely fulfilling. Our Boston-based biology team includes multiple offerings in cell biology, positioning us to meet the diverse challenges our clients face where biological needs intersect with the computational and engineering arenas.

Karen Weisinger

Karen Weisinger

It has been exciting to work with therapy developers and instrument vendors working at the cutting edge of cell and gene therapy, and to be able to bring CC’s engineering, computing and biology capabilities to help get our clients closer to market.  Knowing that our work is ultimately helping patients is immensly satisfying.

James Hallinan

James Hallinan

Over the last decade, I’ve been inspired and encouraged witnessing the transition from early clinical trials through to commercialisation for CGT developers. To scale and democratise these therapies to meet patient demand, we need new technologies such as automation and novel sensing, and Cambridge Consultants is able to help these come to life.

Rob Collison

Rob Collinson

Making the changes we need to see in this industry – increased accessibility, reliability and throughput – requires so many different types of people. I love working across disciplines and helping bridge the gap between them to create truly life-changing therapeutics for society.

Ellen Simmons

Ellen Simmons

It is fascinating to see how different companies working in the cell and gene therapy space utilize biology in innovative ways. I love being able to showcase our broad range of skills to help companies face their challenges head on, helping companies develop their technology so others can benefit from these ground-breaking innovations.

Lindsay Tomczak

Lindsay Tomczak