Importance of Innovation and Design in the Scalability of Cell & Gene Therapies

Stephen Ward was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Cell Therapy Catapult in January 2013. He brings over 20 years of biological medicine research, development, and manufacturing experience to the organisation. Stephen enjoys bringing cutting edge technologies to patients, by developing commercially viable products and has developed and validated scaleable, commercial manufacturing processes for cell based medicinal products, vaccines, and recombinant biologicals. Prior to joining the Cell Therapy Catapult, Stephen worked for a number of biotech and biopharma companies at Board level. Stephen was Development Director at both Onyvax and Stabilitech. At Stabilitech he led the exploitation of the company’s vaccine and biopharmaceutical stabilisation platform, and expanded it into the cell therapy arena. At Onyvax he played a key executive role in the Immune oncology programme, and at Medeva he worked on the hepatitis immunotherapy and antigen delivery platform. Stephen is passionate about securing and growing the cell and gene therapy manufacturing and development supply chain. He is the current Chair of the BIA’s Manufacturing Advisory Committee, actively promoting and supporting UK bio-manufacturing at Government as well as grass root level. He, also, sits on various academic Advisory Boards. His first degree was from the University of Birmingham, specialising in Infection and Immunity, and his second degree from the Medical School of Southampton University developing group B meningococcal vaccine candidates.

Julie Kerby: Working closely with our collaborators she is responsible for the development and technical transfer of cell and gene therapy manufacturing processes ensuring they meet quality and regulatory requirements. Julie has more than 20 years’ experience across large pharma, biotech and academic laboratories, including 7 years at Pfizer Ltd as Biology Lead for a cell replacement therapy for Age Related Macular Degeneration which achieved First-in-Human in 2015. Julie holds a BSc. Hons degree in Biology from the University of Southampton.

Damian Marshall: Joining the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in August 2013, Damian leads the assay development and validation team which underpins a diverse portfolio of cell therapy products at various stages of clinical maturity from pre-FiM to phase III. Damian has over 15 years of assay development experience in the cell therapy and life sciences fields having previously managed the R&D portfolios for both SMEs and LGC Ltd and has successfully managed a European life sciences business with an annual turnover in excess of £15million. Damian graduated with a degree in biological sciences and a PhD in developmental biology from Manchester University.