US contract research firm Charles River says its expanded manufacturing business will focus mainly on cell therapy production. CEO Jim Foster outlined Charles River’s plan this week, telling analysts the firm’s recent acquisition Cognate BioServices would boost the contract research organization’s (CRO) biologics business. “Cognate gives us the ability, and particularly in combination with HemaCare and Cellero, to provide the cells to do the process development, to do the clinical trial scale up, and ultimately, to provide commercial quantities specifically…

Autologous therapy developers should consider “turnkey” manufacturing systems and robotic arms to minimize costs and manual handling, says an expert. The medical benefits of patient-specific, autologous cell therapies are proven according to Greg Russotti, Century Therapeutics’ CTO who told BPI West attendees the challenge now is reducing the cost of making such products. “Autologous [therapies] are proven to make major differences in patients’ lives. And, you know, no one can say they’re cures yet, but in some cases they are…