Cell & Gene Therapy: Bridging Innovation and Commercial Reality
Day 1 Next-Gen Bio Stage
06/10/2026 11:35am - 12:00pm
Contributors
Peter Harrsch : Chief Science Officer - Brandwidth Solutions
Fouad Atouf : Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer - United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
Cristina Salado Manzano : Director of Cell & Gene Therapies and Innovation services - Alcura
Lindsay Davies : CEO - QVance
Fabio Di Giacomo : Associate Director Cell Therapy Procurement - Bristol Myers Squibb
Cell and gene therapies have demonstrated transformative clinical impact and are now entering a more advanced phase of commercialisation. However, scaling these therapies in a consistent, cost-effective, and globally accessible way remains a significant challenge. Despite continued innovation, progress is constrained by fragmented supply chains, complex manufacturing models, and ongoing questions around the sustainability of R&D investment.
Key discussion points:
- How companies are adapting R&D and process development to support scalable, reproducible manufacturing.
- Whether current CGT supply chain models can support scale, or if a fundamental redesign is needed.
- What realistic pathways exist to reduce cost and complexity while maintaining quality.
- How investor expectations are evolving as CGT moves beyond early-stage innovation.
- The role of partnerships across biotech, CDMOs, and providers in enabling scale and access.