Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Annual Review
Ten years of accelerating innovation in cell and gene therapies
Established by Innovate UK in 2012, the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) is an independent innovation and technology organisation committed to delivering impact for the cell and gene therapy industry.
In the decade since it launched, CGT Catapult has consistently delivered by creating powerful collaborations which overcome challenges to the advancement of the sector.
To advance the industry, we collaborate with...
academia...
to support academic researchers to identify and commercialise viable research into advanced therapies, providing pre-clinical and non-clinical support, coupled with regulatory engagement and expert advice to help secure investment funding...
industry...
to create powerful collaborations that significantly improve efficiency and reduce the cost of development and manufacturing to accelerate the commercialisation of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) in the UK. Over the last year we have worked with SMEs and large corporates building new partnerships to overcome industry barriers...
healthcare services...
to support clinical adoption of advanced therapies; we have built a network that includes healthcare providers, regulators, industry, and logistics aimed at building the clinical systems, skills and expertise that are necessary for patients to benefit from the growing number of approved and reimbursed ATMPs available through the NHS.
The partnerships we have developed have helped to position the UK as a global leader in the development of advanced therapies, and they continue to drive growth and investment in the development of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products ATMPs, exemplifying the UK leadership in Life Sciences and realising significant value to the UK economy.
2021/22 Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Outputs and Outcomes
- 56core research projects
- 79collaborative projects
- 59international collaborations
- 25universities and research institutes worked with
- 154companies collaborated with on ATMP innovation (47% of which are UK SMEs)
- 17ATMP apprenticeship programmes
- 125companies supported with up-skilling and training
- 224Advanced Therapies Apprenticeships Community apprentices employed by 40 companies in the UK
- £434mraised by our UK collaborators in Stevenage
- £1.3b+in financing raised by our UK collaborators
- 23companies supported that are conducting clinical trials
- 5,000+people up-skilled and supported with training
- 3 ATMPscommercialised through the Advanced Therapies Treatment Centre Network
- 17,700+TTC NHS Readiness Toolkit users
- 73learning modules and training generated by the ATTC network
UK ATMP industry growth and CGT Catapult impact
- Annual investment in ATMPsIn 2022 there was a 31% increase from 2021, taking investment from £1.3bn to £1.7bn£0.9b2020£1.3b2021£1.7bn2022
- Growth of ATMP GMP manufacturing spaceIn 2022 there was a 25% increase from 2021, taking growth of space from 31,800m2 to 40,000m220,500m2202031,800m2202140,000m22022
- Phase III clinical trials282020382021442022
- Increasing employment in advanced therapies and bioprocessing industries3,03320206,9562022
- Approved therapies reaching patients7202092021102022
A statement from Our Chairman
Despite the challenges of the last few years, the UK cell and gene therapy industry has continued to build on its status as a leading light in the country’s life sciences portfolio.
In 2021/22, UK-based ATMP developers raised over £1.7b in funding, demonstrating a 30% growth year on year. Of that figure, over £1.3b, or 76%, was raised by current or former CGT Catapult collaborators, which is 90 times the amount of Core Grant Funding received by CGT Catapult in the same period. This demonstrates not only the growing confidence among investors in this rapidly expanding sector, but also the important role played by CGT Catapult in making the UK a preferred venue for developing and trialling innovative new treatments.
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult has played a critical role over the last 10 years in developing this expertise and building this capacity. We will continue to do so, working with industry, academia, regulators, healthcare providers and others to accelerate progress in the development of advanced therapies and ensure that patients in need benefit from their therapeutic potential.
Ian McCubbin, CBEChairman
We continue to see significant growth year on year
in the number of clinical trials of advanced therapies that are taking place in the UK, and our 9% global share for ATMP studies remains much higher than for conventional therapies. Developers continue to place a premium on the impressive technological expertise and manufacturing capacity we have to offer when choosing where to manufacture their products.
A statement from Our Chief Executive
In its 10th year, CGT Catapult has continued its work to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive edge in the global development and manufacture of ATMPs.
Since the CGT Catapult was established in 2012, we have evolved and extended our approach, and today we have a vision of a thriving industry delivering life-changing advanced therapies to the world. The last decade has seen the industry progress from a nascent stage to one that now employs thousands of skilled professionals working on the development of life-changing treatments – and it’s right that our current activities reflect the demands of a growing industry.
As we look forward to the year ahead, and the next decade to come, we will continue our relentless focus on delivering impact in areas that are essential to meet future demand and to ensure the UK continues to be an attractive destination for ATMP companies.
Matthew DurdyChief Executive
Driving the industry’s rapid progress – and at the core of the CGT Catapult’s business approach – are the collaborations we have entered into with organisations across the industry. This year, we have continued to work closely with our long-term collaborators to boost their capability and secure their continuing development of ATMPs in the UK.
Ten years of accelerating innovation in cell and gene therapies
2012→2022
2012
Cell Therapy Catapult is established with a mission to grow a viable and sustainable cell therapy industry in the UK, enabling access to finance, and providing clinical and technical expertise to allow the rapid exploitation of cell therapies.
2013
Cell Therapy Catapult publishes the first Clinical Trials Database highlighting the growth of trials in the UK.
2014
New facility in Guy’s Hospital, London is opened by the UK Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy providing expanded laboratory and space and capabilities to further support the industry. Cell Therapy Catapult announces plans to create a cell therapy Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MIC) in Stevenage, with £60m+ funding from the UK Government.
2016
Cell Therapy Catapult is renamed to Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult), reflecting the growth in gene modified cell therapies and the wave of direct gene therapies in development
2017
First UK Cell and Gene Therapy Skills Demand Report is published, forecasting dramatic increasing demand for sector employment
2018
The Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres (ATTC) network launches – a world-first initiative, enabling best practice and NHS readiness for ATMPs, coordinated by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
World’s first Advanced Therapy Apprenticeship Community (ATAC) launched with funding from Innovate UK
Autolus Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of next-generation engineered T-cell therapies for haematological and solid tumours becomes the first company to begin manufacturing in the Stevenage MIC
Adaptimmune, a leader in T-cell therapy to treat cancer, announces it will begin vector production at the Stevenage MIC
2019
Completed expansion of Stevenage MIC expansion to meet the increasing sector demand for manufacturing innovation
2020
CGT Catapult launches the ATSTN to support the growing demand for ATMP upskilling, enabled with funding from UK Government’s BEIS Department
BEIS and the Vaccine Taskforce fund the purchase of a facility in Braintree, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and future positioning as an additional cell and gene therapy Manufacturing Innovation Centre
2021
CGT Catapult announces expansion with new laboratories and offices planned for the Bioquarter in Edinburgh
2022
CGT Catapult and the industry publish the National Cell and Gene Therapy Vision for the UK, outlining recommendations to ensure the UK maintains its global advantage
Discover how we support and progress the industry
Accelerating innovation in the cell and gene therapy landscape
To date, the CGT Catapult has played a critical role in accelerating the progress of advanced therapies from lab to the clinic, establishing a clear vision for treatment in the UK and ensuring that patients receive treatments from well-trained staff in optimised environments.
Dr Jacqueline BarryChief Clinical Officer
10 cell and gene therapies approved and reimbursed by the NHS168 clinical trials taking place in the UK48 Phase II/III or Phase III clinical trials
Since the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult was established in 2012, the UK landscape for advanced therapies has rapidly evolved.
Over the last five years, the industry has grown quickly with the number of ongoing late-stage clinical trials in the UK reaching 48 for a range of therapies, a 9% growth over the previous year.
Driving forward technology and process innovation
Over the last 10 years, CGT Catapult Officer has consistently worked with scientists and SMEs at the forefront of the ATMP industry, bringing our resources and commitment to tackling the industry’s biggest challenges.
Dr Jonathan ApplebyChief Scientific Officer
Over the last decade, CGT Catapult has worked with industry in the development of novel processes and analytical techniques for cell and gene therapy manufacture.
In that time, CGT Catapult has sought to add additional value to the cell and gene therapy field by identifying opportunities and projects that complement the work of the industry in developing and manufacturing ATMPs.
In 2021/22, this approach has seen CGT Catapult continue to focus efforts in the following areas:
- Understanding and characterising new ATMPs
- Developing safer, more efficient processes for ATMPs in clinical studies
- Innovation in cell and gene therapy manufacturing
We work with our collaborators to broadly disseminate this knowledge and know-how to the benefit of UK industry and academia.
Supporting academia to progress vital ATMP research
CGT Catapult is committed to ensuring that the UK can translate the cutting-edge cell and gene therapy research taking place in our universities and other institutions into commercially successful ATMPs. Since 2018, CGT Catapult has contributed to the launch of five new spin-out companies from leading UK universities through advising academic researchers on issues including non-clinical development, commercial development and investment strategies to secure funding.
In 2021/22, CGT Catapult partnered with 25 leading research institutions to accelerate innovation of a wide range of potential treatments and to identify opportunities through which to commercialise this research.
Accelerating innovation by supporting UK SMEs
73 Total SME collaborations37 CR&D Projects involving SMES33 Commercial Readiness Advice Clinics provided to early-stage companies
While cell and gene therapies have demonstrated their potential to transform the way clinicians treat a wide range of different conditions, there remain significant challenges to their study and development. CGT Catapult has worked with UK SME ATMP developers to support the development and execution of advanced medicines development plans.
From providing pre-clinical advice on potential new treatments through to supporting companies to engage with regulators and enable market access, CGT Catapult works with SME collaborators to accelerate the development of promising therapies and accelerate innovation within the UK cell and gene therapy industry.
Want to see how we've supported other collaborators?
Download the full Annual ReviewA quick look at the Financial Highlights
Income
| For year ended 31st March 2022 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovate UK core grant funding | £14,500,000 | £14,200,000 | £14,500,000 |
| Third-party grant funding | £34,000,000 | £34,500,000 | £34,000,000 |
| Industrial Income | £25,300,000 | £21,200,000 | £25,300,000 |
| Total | £74,000,000 | £69,900,000 | £74,000,000 |
Balance Sheet
| For year ended 31st March 2022 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed assets | £81,800,000 | £74,600,000 | £56,300,000 |
| Net current assets | £34,400,000 | £28,300,000 | £12,500,000 |
| Creditors | (£17,600,000) | (£17,100,000) | (£7,000,000) |
| Provision for liabilities | (£19,900,000) | (£13,600,000) | (£10,300,000) |
| Net assets | £78,700,000 | £72,200,000 | £51,500,000 |
| Capital and reserves | £78,700,000 | £72,200,000 | £51,500,00 |
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