Potency Assays For Advanced Stem Cell Therapy Medicinal Products

This volume of the Springer book series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology covers potency assays, one of the most complex yet fundamental evaluations that critically influence stem cell regenerative medicine. Developing potency assays for cell-based medicinal products comes with numerous challenges due to the highly specialised nature of the application and purpose. This book provides the reader with the knowledge necessary to understand issues governing the successful development of potency assays, highlighting an international outlook of how the various challenges raised are being managed. Stakeholders concerned with potency assay development range from patient and clinician to contract research organisations, small and medium enterprise, regulatory authorities and even politicians. The value of potency assays is poised to increase given the inevitable watershed as early-stage clinical trials addressing safety progress to trials testing efficacy. Contributors from clinical, academic, industrial and regulatory sectors establish a broad point of view for guidance and timely debate. Potency assays require extensive collaboration across disciplines and sectors, as well as compromise and the authors aim to constructively address the many key aspects involved. Potency assays provide a quantitative measure of the biological activity of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and thus are required for their market authorization. As the pace of ATMP development accelerates, the need to develop specific, accurate, and robust potency assays for each product is also accelerating. The volume Potency Assays for Stem Cell Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products presents a broad outlook on the development, quality attributes, and implementation of potency assays for ATMPs. The first few chapters introduce a nuanced historical perspective on the science of potency assay development, describe specific quality attributes of an idealized potency assay, indicate pitfalls associated with developing such assays for ATMPs, and review guidance recommended by regulatory authorities on assay suitability for product approval. Subsequent chapters highlight efforts to develop potency assays for specific ATMPs, including skeletal stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, extracellular vesicles, CAR T-cells, and discuss emerging technologies/platforms for potency assay design. The volume concludes with a chapter reviewing potency assays used for the release of commercial ATMP products, which amalgamates information contained in previous chapters. Overall, the knowledge contributed from leading authorities in both academia and industry is an ideal resource for technicians, scientists, clinicians, process engineers, and regulators working with ATMPs. -Donald G. Phinney, PhD Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology .

This textbook is a comprehensive overview of the development of cell-based biopharmaceuticals. Beginning with the underlying biology of stem cell and cell-based products, it traces the long and complex journey from preclinical concept to initiation of a pivotal clinical trial and the potential business model behind it.The book also takes into consideration the different regulatory landscapes and their continuous evolution in Europe, North America and other parts of the world. The authors describe a path to manufacture a clinical grade therapeutic that passes all necessary quality measures as a robust and marketable product including an outlook on next generation products and innovative strategies.This reference book is a must-have guide for any professional already active in biopharmaceuticals and anyone interested in getting involved in a scientific, medical or business capacity.

This volume of the Springer book series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology covers potency assays, one of the most complex yet fundamental evaluations that critically influence stem cell regenerative medicine. Developing potency assays for cell-based medicinal products comes with numerous challenges due to the highly specialised nature of the application and purpose. This book provides the reader with the knowledge necessary to understand issues governing the successful development of potency assays, highlighting an international outlook of how the various challenges raised are being managed. Stakeholders concerned with potency assay development range from patient and clinician to contract research organisations, small and medium enterprise, regulatory authorities and even politicians. The value of potency assays is poised to increase given the inevitable watershed as early-stage clinical trials addressing safety progress to trials testing efficacy. Contributors from clinical, academic, industrial and regulatory sectors establish a broad point of view for guidance and timely debate. Potency assays require extensive collaboration across disciplines and sectors, as well as compromise and the authors aim to constructively address the many key aspects involved. Potency assays provide a quantitative measure of the biological activity of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and thus are required for their market authorization. As the pace of ATMP development accelerates, the need to develop specific, accurate, and robust potency assays for each product is also accelerating. The volume Potency Assays for Stem Cell Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products presents a broad outlook on the development, quality attributes, and implementation of potency assays for ATMPs. The first few chapters introduce a nuanced historical perspective on the science of potency assay development, describe specific quality attributes of an idealized potency assay, indicate pitfalls associated with developing such assays for ATMPs, and review guidance recommended by regulatory authorities on assay suitability for product approval. Subsequent chapters highlight efforts to develop potency assays for specific ATMPs, including skeletal stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, extracellular vesicles, CAR T-cells, and discuss emerging technologies/platforms for potency assay design. The volume concludes with a chapter reviewing potency assays used for the release of commercial ATMP products, which amalgamates information contained in previous chapters. Overall, the knowledge contributed from leading authorities in both academia and industry is an ideal resource for technicians, scientists, clinicians, process engineers, and regulators working with ATMPs. —Donald G. Phinney, PhD Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology

Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to develop stem cell-based therapies for difficult to treat diseases. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, also referred to as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), appear to hold great promise in regards to a regenerative cell-based therapy for the treatment of these diseases. Currently, more than 200 clinical trials are underway worldwide exploring the use of MSCs for the treatment of a wide range of disorders including bone, cartilage and tendon damage, myocardial infarction, graft-versus-host disease, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, critical limb ischemia and many others. MSCs were first identified by Friendenstein and colleagues as an adherent stromal cell population within the bone marrow with the ability to form clonogenic colonies in vitro. In regards to the basic biology associated with MSCs, there has been tremendous progress towards understanding this cell population’s phenotype and function from a range of tissue sources. Despite enormous progress and an overall increased understanding of MSCs at the molecular and cellular level, several critical questions remain to be answered in regards to the use of these cells in therapeutic applications. Clinically, both autologous and allogenic approaches for the transplantation of MSCs are being explored. Several of the processing steps needed for the clinical application of MSCs, including isolation from various tissues, scalable in vitro expansion, cell banking, dose preparation, quality control parameters, delivery methods and numerous others are being extensively studied. Despite a significant number of ongoing clinical trials, none of the current therapeutic approaches have, at this point, become a standard of care treatment. Although exceptionally promising, the clinical translation of MSC-based therapies is still a work in progress. The extensive number of ongoing clinical trials is expected to provide a clearer path forward for the realization and implementation of MSCs in regenerative medicine. Towards this end, reviews of current clinical trial results and discussions of relevant topics association with the clinical application of MSCs are compiled in this book from some of the leading researchers in this exciting and rapidly advancing field. Although not absolutely all-inclusive, we hope the chapters within this book can promote and enable a better understanding of the translation of MSCs from bench-to-bedside and inspire researchers to further explore this promising and quickly evolving field.

Neural stem cells offer a valuable model system for delineating the cellular and developmental processes in normal and diseased states of the central nervous system. In particular, neural stem cells have huge potential in regenerative medicine, owing to their expansion capability in culture and the ability to differentiate into multiple sub-neural lineages. Neural Stem Cell Assays provides a detailed and comprehensive review of the basic methods for neural stem cell cultures. Including an overview of progress in the field over the past decade, Neural Stem Cell Assays is a one-stop reference for consistent methods and reliable tools that span the entire assay work flow, from isolation or generation of neural stem cells to characterization, manipulation and final application of neural stem cells in disease paradigms such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. An excellent source of information for academic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers who are new to the neural stem cell field, Neural Stem Cell Assays is an invaluable to experienced users who wish to integrate newly developed tools and technologies into their workflow. The book also covers important course material for students at the undergraduate and graduate level who are learning the basics of neural stem cell cultures, and differentiation to sub-neural lineages.

Cell Therapy: cGMP Facilities and Manufacturing is the source for a complete discussion of facility design and operation with practical approaches to a variety of day-to-day activities, such as staff training and competency, cleaning procedures, and environmental monitoring. This in-depth book also includes detailed reviews of quality, the framework of regulations, and professional standards. It meets a previously unmet need for a thorough facility-focused resource, Cell Therapy: cGMP Facilities and Manufacturing will be an important addition to the cell therapy professional’s library. Additional topics in Cell Therapy: cGMP Facilities and Manufacturing...Standard operating procedures - Supply management - Facility equipment - Product manufacturing, review, release and administration - Facility master file.

A discussion of all the key issues in the use of human pluripotent stem cells for treating degenerative diseases or for replacing tissues lost from trauma. On the practical side, the topics range from the problems of deriving human embryonic stem cells and driving their differentiation along specific lineages, regulating their development into mature cells, and bringing stem cell therapy to clinical trials. Regulatory issues are addressed in discussions of the ethical debate surrounding the derivation of human embryonic stem cells and the current policies governing their use in the United States and abroad, including the rules and conditions regulating federal funding and questions of intellectual property.

This book discusses the different regulatory pathways for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products implemented by national agencies in North and South America, Europe and Asia and by international bodies in the effort of international harmonization. This book represents an update of the first edition, as it covers regulatory novelties and accumulated experience in the regions already addressed. In addition, this new edition offers a wider international perspective: new chapters are included covering Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products regulations in India, Malaysia, Spain and Thailand, the European Pharmacopoeia texts for gene therapy medicinal products as well as international harmonization programs. Each chapter, authored by experts from various regulatory bodies throughout the international community, walks the reader through the applications of nonclinical research to translational clinical research to licensure and therapeutic use of these innovative products. More specifically, each chapter offers insights into fundamental considerations that are essential for developers of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products in the areas of product quality, pharmacology and toxicology, clinical trial design and HTA pathways, as well as pertinent ‘must-know’ guidelines and regulations. Regulatory Aspects of Gene Therapy and Cell Therapy Products: a Global Perspective is part of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy sub-series of the highly successful Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology series. It is essential reading for graduate students, clinicians, and researchers interested in gene and cell therapy and the regulation of pharmaceuticals.