The Novo Nordisk Foundation will invest up to US$136 million in a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Lyngby, Denmark.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is making a substantial commitment of up to DKK 950 million (US $136M) to create an advanced facility dedicated to scaling up cell therapies for use in human patients. This facility, known as the Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator, is poised to address a critical gap in the Danish cell therapy ecosystem. Its overarching goal is to facilitate the transition from groundbreaking cell therapy research to tangible treatments for individuals grappling with various chronic diseases such as chronic heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, and several forms of cancer.
Located at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in Lyngby, this cutting-edge facility is expected to commence operations in 2027. It will serve a diverse clientele, including both public and private entities from national and international academia, biotech, and the pharmaceutical industry. The Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator aims to harness the potential of cell therapies, which involve the transplantation of living cells into patients to combat diseases. Its primary activities will revolve around further refining cell therapies that have already demonstrated success in animal testing and producing these therapies consistently and at scale for early clinical trials.
The facility’s scope is comprehensive, encompassing cell therapy types derived from embryonic stem cells, iPS cells, and other types of adult stem cells, such as MSCs and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). It will provide a wide range of services, spanning from process development to product Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing, product release, and regulatory support. The adaptability of the Cellerator to various therapy types and services is crucial, given the rapid developments in this evolving field.
Notably, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator will be the first large-scale production site of its kind in Denmark, unifying a broad spectrum of expertise and services under one roof. While some hospitals in Denmark already have small-scale cell therapy manufacturing facilities, this initiative represents a significant leap forward in terms of scale and capabilities.
The decision to establish the Cellerator at DTU is informed by the university’s substantial expertise in cell manufacturing and existing infrastructure. Anders Bjarklev, President of DTU, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming facility and highlighted the potential synergies it will create with DTU’s ongoing research, education, and innovation efforts in health tech and biotechnology. This collaborative environment will offer researchers and students a unique opportunity to translate cell technologies into practical cell therapy treatments.
Collaboration is at the heart of this initiative, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation is actively forging partnerships essential for its success. One key partner is reNEW, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, a research consortium spanning Denmark, Australia, and the Netherlands. This partnership is expected to be instrumental in advancing stem cell-based treatments from laboratory research to clinical applications.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator team is engaged in dialogue with stakeholders in the Danish cell therapy landscape, both public and private, as well as counterparts in Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada, the US, and beyond. The objective is to gather insights, share knowledge, and collaborate to advance the field of cell therapies. The foundation envisions the Cellerator as a pivotal hub in Denmark, bridging the gap between groundbreaking stem cell discoveries and proof-of-concept in human chronic disease trials.
To summarize, the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s significant investment in the Cellerator represents a major step forward in the field of stem cell therapeutics and beyond. By establishing a world-class facility focused on development and upscaling of cell-based medicines, Denmark aims to play a leading role in advancing curative therapies for a range of chronic diseases. With its commitment to collaboration and innovation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator has the potential to become a model for similar facilities worldwide, contributing to the search for cures to chronic diseases on a global scale. Construction is slated to begin in the summer of 2024, with the facility expected to be fully operational in 2027.
