
One of the lectures will be given by Brigitta Witte from Galapagos. Galapagos is a biotech company with operations in EU and US, running clinical trials in phase 1 and 2 in Cell therapy (CAR-T) for Oncology. CAR-T is a personalized treatment methodology, where the immune cells from the patient are adapted and re-infused to the patient to attack the cancer cells. Galapagos is using a unique decentralized manufacturing approach compared to the other big players in the field like BMS, J&J, and Kite. This decentralized model has several advantages compared to the central manufacturing approach, such as the use of fresh material (over frozen), and a median vein-to-vein time of 7 days. Automation of equipment and QC testing is a very important aspect of this to be able to meet this goal, and some examples will be shared in the presentation.
One of the workshops is about ‘3D cell culture: mimicking In Vivo human environments’. The workshop explores proven technologies for 3D cell culture to grow relevant models with applications in drug discovery, disease modeling, and beyond. It will address the transition from 2D to 3D cell culture and guidance on initiating 3D model projects successfully. Attendees will dive into 3D cell culture based on their experience, challenges, and perspectives.