by Michael Gibney – PharmaVoice –
The first cell therapy approved by the FDA, Dendreon’s Provenge for prostate cancer, had a bumpy start on the market in 2010, as the autologous treatment was logistically difficult to manufacture and administer, and thus also to reimburse.
Although the same challenges still persist in the cell therapy market, Dendreon’s stumble “was a good lesson for upcoming therapies,” said Alireza Abazari, senior director of cell processing and cryopreservation at BioLife Solutions. Now, cell therapy makers are putting more thought into the logistical processes, including freezing advances that keep cells viable for a longer time.
