Optimizing and standardizing the cryopreservation of cellular samples: new data and insights from the UK’s Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres network programme
Cell & Gene Therapy Insights 2022; 8(6), 967–976
DOI: 10.18609/cgti.2022.144
The Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres (ATCC) network programme aims to increase patient access to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and establish best practices for the safe and effective delivery of these therapies. The collaboration consists of almost 250 people across various NHS Trusts, industrial partners, and academia. One project conducted by the Northern Alliance ATCC involved a collaboration between NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and Cytiva for the cryopreservation of clinically relevant cellular materials. Cryopreservation continues to gather relevance, also because networks worldwide have started to recommend cryopreserving all stem cell products, both autologous and allogeneic, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic [1]Ljungman P, Mikulska M, Camara R de la et al. The challenge of COVID-19 and hematopoietic cell transplantation; EBMT recommendations for management of hematopoietic cell transplant recipients, their donors, and patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2020, 1–6. , [2]Sahu KK, Siddiqui AD, Cerny J. COVID-19 pandemic and impact on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2020; 55, 2193–2195.