Cell Therapy

Cell Therapy

Cell therapy involves the introduction of new cells into tissue to treat diseases, particularly focusing on hereditary conditions, with or without accompanying gene therapy. It falls under the umbrella of regenerative medicine.

Distinct from the traditional pillars of healthcare—pharma, biologics, and medical devices—cell therapy and other regenerative medicines, like tissue engineering, constitute a separate therapeutic platform technology. Although disruptive, cell therapy is not a novel concept. Its roots trace back to practices such as blood transfusion, organ transplantation, tissue banking, and reproductive in vitro fertilization.

From James Blundell's pioneering human-to-human blood transfusion at Guy's Hospital, London, to today's advanced cellular therapies, cell-based treatments have undergone a 200-year journey from clinical experimentation to laboratory innovation. This evolution has led to the emergence of a distinct industry, positioning cell therapy as the fourth and latest therapeutic pillar in global healthcare.

Indicators, including decreased market volatility, signal the emergence of a distinct healthcare sector with promising growth potential.

Various forms of cell therapy are envisioned, including:

- Transplantation of autologous (from the patient) or allogeneic (from another donor) stem cells or progenitor cells.
- Transplantation of mature, functional cells (Cell Replacement Therapy).
- Utilization of modified human cells to produce necessary substances (cell-based gene therapy).

Potential future forms of cell therapy, contingent upon research outcomes and ethical considerations, may include:

- Xenotransplantation of non-human cells to produce needed substances, like introducing insulin-producing pig cells to treat diabetes.
- Transplantation of transdifferentiated cells derived from the patient's own differentiated cells, such as insulin-producing beta cells generated from isolated hepatocytes to treat diabetes.