In the burgeoning cell and gene therapy market, companies at all stages of pre-clinical and clinical development are faced with a similar set of challenges of producing effective, standardized, and compliant therapies. The novelty of these technologies combined with the rigorous quality controls surrounding the materials and production process require a specialized approach for starting
On January 20, Akron Biotech CEO Dr. Claudia Zylberberg will launch an updated version of her children’s book, You’re Full of Genes, during the Future of Medicine Day at the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami, Florida. The book, an updated version of her 2001 original by the same title, takes children
What a year it has been at Akron! We’ve continued to raise the bar, focusing on what matters most – enabling the development and commercialization of tomorrow’s cures. We’ve done this by securing the supply of critical GMP materials for our customers, the institutions and companies leading the way. This has been a big year
Ancillary materials play a critical role in the manufacture of cell and gene therapies, and best practices for their quality management are the subject of ongoing discussion. Given that these therapies cannot be sterilized, ancillary material quality is critical to clinical advancement and commercialization. At Akron, we believe that a harmonized definition of what constitutes
Akron recently participated in the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa, joining hundreds of the largest companies in the cell and gene therapy space to discuss progress to date and foster a shared vision for the future of regenerative medicine. Panels covered themes including the impact of Brexit on
The advancement of cell therapies depends on the success of industry-wide efforts to reduce variability in source materials, manufacturing processes, and analytical strategies. A newly-published paper in Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine identifies several sources of variability throughout the cell therapy supply chain, manufacturing process, and release testing, and identifies standardization efforts, automation strategies, and
At Akron, our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is more than just a database; it’s an adaptive framework that informs our developments and iterates based on our clients’ needs, just like our Quality Management System (QMS). The ideal CRM process focuses on the interactions between a business and its customers, with the principal goals of
Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) are two terms that are often used interchangeably. However, while some QA and QC activities are interrelated, the two are defined differently and encompass different activities. ISO 9000 defines Quality Assurance as “all the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system that can be demonstrated to
Aseptic processing is one of the most critical steps in the production of biopharmaceuticals. It is uniquely challenging in its requirements for personnel and facilities. Avoiding contamination requires careful planning, effective personnel training, attention to detail on the part of technicians, and specialized facilities and equipment. These activities, skills, and facility features are necessary to
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an organic solvent that is widely used as cryoprotectant for freezing cells and tissues. Clinically, DMSO is considered a potent anti-inflammatory, nerve blocker (analgesic), diuretic, vasodilator and muscle relaxer. In cells, DMSO is used to induce differentiation, as a free radical scavenger, and most notably, to prevent ice formation during cryopreservation.
