These grants will support the development and optimisation of novel cell therapies for cancer and rare diseases.
Dr Branden Moriarity, Associate Professor and Director at the Centre for Genome Engineering and Genome Engineering Shared Resource, received a $300,000 grant.
The funding will support process development and qualification runs for a hyper-functional CAR-NK cell therapy targeting advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), with plans for a Phase I clinical trial.
Dr Beau Webber, also Associate Professor and Director of the Genome Engineering Shared Resource, was awarded $240,000.
His grant will support preclinical development of a new tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for a range of solid tumours.
Dr Joseph Skeate, Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, received $125,000 to advance G-Rex-based manufacturing processes for a TPP1-expressing T cell therapy for Batten disease — a group of rare, inherited childhood neurodegenerative conditions.
Dr Moriarity commented: “We are grateful for the generous support, which will improve G-Rex-centric manufacturing of our unique cell and gene therapy products."
"We especially appreciate the commitment of local partners such as Wilson Wolf and Bio-Techne in supporting not only our work but the CGT field more broadly.”
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Wolf and coinventor of G-Rex, added: “It’s a privilege to support these pioneering investigators at the Centre for Genome Engineering. Minnesota has a proud legacy in adoptive cell therapy dating back to the first matched donor bone marrow transplant in 1968. We’re honoured to contribute to that continued legacy.”
To date, ScaleReady’s G-Rex Grant Programme has exceeded $40m in no-cost product commitments, helping to advance scalable and efficient cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing.
Grant recipients also gain access to specialised support across GMP manufacturing, regulatory affairs and CGT business operations.
Additionally, ScaleReady has partnered with Hanson Wade to launch the LEAN Cell & Gene event series — a free initiative aimed at promoting lean CGT manufacturing practices and operational excellence across the industry.