On 27th February 2018, The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine (JSRM). This agreement between the CGT Catapult and JSRM, the largest society for regenerative medicine in the world, aims to advance regenerative medicine and cell and gene therapies in both the UK and Japan.
Through this MoU, JSRM and the CGT Catapult aim to advance their individual and common missions by promoting collaboration to facilitate activities by enterprises and academic institutions of both regions in the field of regenerative medicine and cell and gene therapies. The organisations will also share information encompassing technologies, policies, legal issues and assist one another in sponsoring and hosting meetings.
“We are thrilled to announce this Memorandum of Understanding with JSRM, a key player in regenerative medicine in Japan. Following on from the MoUs signed with the Forum for Innovative Regenerative Medicine in October 2017 and Kanagawa Prefecture in November 2015, this new agreement will further boost the reach and profile of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in Japan.” said Keith Thompson, CEO of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult.
JSRM is the largest society for regenerative medicine in the world, with approximately 6000 members involved in research in a wide variety of fields in the natural sciences such as basic medicine, clinical medicine, tissue engineering and cell biology, as well as fields in the humanities and in sociology. The participating members come from various domains of academia, industry and government, and JSRM is recognised as the only platform beyond institutional borders where they can engage in discussions regarding a host of challenges brought about by the new field of regenerative medicine. The activities of JSRM go well beyond publishing academic journals, including making policy proposals as a community, engaging in voluntary research/development and research promotion and exploring new avenues of clinical research in collaboration with patients and citizens.
“To deliver regenerative medicine to the people as general treatment, it is an enormous factor to form the stand-alone ecosystem which can provide products continually. JSRM is delivering many projects to commercialise regenerative medicine and I am sure that JSRM has much to learn from activities of CGT Catapult as the world’s premier organisation to nurture the “Industry””, said Prof Yoshiki Sawa, President of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine.
About the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult was established as an independent centre of excellence to advance the growth of the UK cell and gene therapy industry, by bridging the gap between scientific research and full-scale commercialisation. With more than 120 employees focusing on cell and gene therapy technologies, it works with partners in academia and industry to ensure these life-changing therapies can be developed for use in health services throughout the world. It offers leading-edge capability, technology and innovation to enable companies to take products into clinical trials and provide clinical, process development, manufacturing, regulatory, health economics and market access expertise. Its aim is to make the UK the most compelling and logical choice for UK and international partners to develop and commercialise these advanced therapies. The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult works with Innovate UK. For more information please visit ct.catapult.org.uk or visit http://www.gov.uk/innovate-uk.