PHILADELPHIA, PA, and LONDON, 18th December 2025—Minaris, a global cell and gene therapy (CGT) contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) and multimodality biosafety testing provider and Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult), an independent technology and innovation organisation specialising in the advancement of the CGT industry, today announced a collaboration to develop CGT delivery technologies to enable more robust manufacturing processes, improved quality, and lower cost of goods.
Minaris will move its centre for viral vector innovation to occupy space within CGT Catapult’s collaborator laboratories in London and will work with CGT Catapult on the further development of lentiviral (LV) assays and processes. CGT Catapult will expand its capabilities and experience in the LV space through access to Minaris’ LV processes, expertise, and proprietary platforms. LV and adeno‑associated virus (AAV) are the vehicles used in gene therapies to deliver therapeutic material into cells, and this collaboration will draw on CGT Catapult’s extensive expertise in the AAV space.
This collaboration to expand viral vector capabilities strengthens both CGT Catapult’s and Minaris’ ability to support advanced therapy product developers and manufacturers that require LV and AAV platform support. By expanding analytical and process capabilities, the collaborators aim to improve the productivity, safety, and performance of viral vector platforms.
Minaris’ expertise in cell and gene therapies is a valuable contribution to the UK’s advanced therapies industry. By working with Minaris to help refine the development and manufacture of lentivirus, we aim to ensure these processes are efficient, scalable, and safe for producing transformative therapies. The insights gained through this collaboration will further the CGT Catapult’s ability to support therapy developers and CDMOs to deliver high-quality AAV and LV production for a wide range of diseases.
Matthew Durdy, chief executive at the CGT Catapult
This move presents us with an exciting opportunity to collaborate with CGT Catapult, a UK government–backed innovation and technology organisation whose mission is closely aligned with our mandate to accelerate treatments and expand access to life changing therapies. We look forward to bringing our decades of expertise and service to the CGT industry to this partnership, collaborating on multiple initiatives that will propel vector based therapeutics toward commercial manufacturing.
Orla Cloak, CEO of Minaris