Lakewood-based Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT) has announced the establishment of its new Global Therapy Innovations business unit. The unit aims to integrate disease expertise throughout the patient journey, from cell collections to therapy delivery, and is led by Veerle d’Haenens, general manager, Global Therapy Innovations.
The initiative intends to enhance standards of care and develop a coordinated system of modalities within various disease areas, concentrating on therapeutic apheresis and cell and gene therapy for conditions such as sickle cell disease (SCD). The Global Therapy Innovations unit will focus on optimizing interactions with patients and customers, offering a seamless experience with the company’s solutions and therapies.
This collaboration will utilize data from several systems, including the Spectra Optia Apheresis System, Quantum Flex Cell Expansion System and FINIA Fill and Finish System, which are essential for treatments involving red blood cell exchange and advanced cell and gene therapies.
“We are now ideally situated as a singular partner, with a holistic view to make connections among cell quality, process standardization and cell collection access, as well as to understand the impact of these factors further downstream in the cell therapy manufacturing process,” d’Haenens said. “This will enable us to bring together a variety of stakeholders to help unlock patient access to therapies.”
Terumo BCT has been instrumental in blood-based therapies, particularly in the therapeutic apheresis sector. The Spectra Optia system is employed throughout the care continuum for SCD, offering preventive therapies and stem cell collection for transplants and gene therapy manufacturing.
The Global Therapy Innovations team will work towards improving access to existing therapies in fields such as immuno-oncology, as well as addressing high unmet needs in conditions like SCD, Alzheimer’s disease, acute liver failure and sepsis.
