Cell therapy

Cell therapy, or cellular therapy, is the introduction or transplantation of healthy cells into a person's body to replace missing or diseased cells. Cell therapies include several approaches that require manipulating donor tissue, both autologous and allogeneic, to obtain desired cells and tissues. These cells and tissues, or cell therapy products, are used to treat diseases, ranging from wound repair to cancer.

Cell therapies emerged in the late 1980s and have grown with the expansion and activation of LAK and TIL adult stem cells (T cells) isolated and expanded from peripheral blood, bone marrow, cord blood, and dermal/keratinocyte grafts to treat burn patients. Today, cell therapy approaches are moving away from stand-alone cell delivery to co-therapies with vaccines or mAbs. 

As a leading global supplier of mission-critical products and services, Avantor delivers everything needed for cell therapy research, development, and production. Our mission is to enable scientific breakthroughs and set science in motion to create a better world. We collaborate with scientists, educators, and innovators to help support their journeys.

Our global infrastructure allows us to support our customers’ needs wherever they are in the world. When you work with Avantor, you get a reliable partner who carries high-quality products and provides cost-effective services. Contact us to find out how we can support your next breakthrough.

When you research cell therapy products, it's important to consider current regulations set in place by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). The CBER must approve cell therapy products, human gene therapy products, and specific devices related to cell and gene therapy.

Additionally, as cell therapies advance through clinical trials toward approval, the success of cell therapy depends increasingly on process development strategies that enable improved efficiency and maintain or improve safety and quality. High-quality materials and services are vital for optimal performance throughout every phase of the cell therapy workflow.

In addition to our upstream, downstream and final fill solutions for cell therapy, our single-use solutions are designed for flexibility and versatility in aseptic fluid handling across the upstream, downstream, and final-fill steps of producing cell therapies.

Solutions for the cell therapy workflow include our proprietary Avantor OmniTop Sample Tubes® Adjustable Volume Sampling System (AVSS), which is designed to aseptically draw a precise small sample volume from your most critical applications.

Maintaining aseptic conditions during the manufacturing or down packing process is part of managing your risk. We offer products from industry-leading manufacturers and support from our teams of specialists who have the technical and industry experience to recommend the best solutions to meet your needs.

The difference between allogeneic and autologous cell therapy is the source of cells. Allogeneic cells come from a person other than the patient receiving the therapy. Autologous cells come from the same person who gets the transplant, while allogeneic transplants generally report a lower risk of disease recurrence than autologous transplants. However, allogeneic transplants may be associated with complications.

Avantor offers products to help researchers and manufacturers develop cell therapies. We carry a broad range of products, including:

• Animal sera to enhance attachment and growth of adherent cells and cell culture components
• Fermentation media and other cell culture media
• Cell culture supplements
• Growth factors
• Reagents and excipients
• Single-use use products to enable aseptic fluid transfer supporting "closed-system" cell culture.