The 4th AseBio – TERAV – CIBER Forum examines how to boost value chains in advanced therapies

AseBio, the Spanish Network for Advanced Therapies (TERAV), and the Biomedical Research Networking Center (CIBER), with the collaboration of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), held this Wednesday, 14 January, the 4th AseBio - TERAV - CIBER Forum on advanced therapies.

Under the title "Driving the future: value chains in advanced therapies", the meeting held at the Ernest Lluch Auditorium of the ISCIII in Madrid aimed to promote technology transfer in the field of advanced therapies, identifying the main challenges and opportunities to make assets developed in academia more attractive to the technological and biopharmaceutical industry.

Advanced therapies constitute one of the most disruptive advances in modern medicine due to their ability to act directly on the biological causes of diseases and generate a real impact on patients' lives. Gene, cell, and tissue therapies open up new therapeutic opportunities in rare, oncological, degenerative, and genetic diseases and, at the same time, represent a strategic asset for the country thanks to their contribution to specialized knowledge, skilled employment, investment attraction, and the strengthening of technological and healthcare autonomy. Spain has top-level scientific and clinical capabilities and a dynamic biotechnology sector; the challenge now is to transform this potential into impact, ensuring that scientific excellence translates into accessible treatments for patients.

"Advanced therapies constitute a priority strategic line for the ISCIII, both as a future commitment and as a present reality that has an impact from research through to healthcare delivery. We maintain a commitment to innovation and to the promotion of precision medicine integrated into the National Health System, in a field in which Spain has consolidated itself as an international benchmark. Meetings like today's are essential to continue moving toward truly personalized medicine, in which gene, cell, and tissue therapies open up new therapeutic opportunities for multiple diseases," said Marina Pollán, Director of the ISCIII.

Difficulties faced by academia in transferring and scaling advanced therapies and ensuring patient access

"Today, more than ever, guaranteeing access to advanced therapies must be a non-negotiable priority. Scientific advances in advanced therapy medicinal products are extraordinary and are growing exponentially. However, scientific success is meaningless if it does not reach patients. Without real, effective, and equitable access, these achievements become a missed opportunity and an ethical failure for healthcare systems," shared Damián García Olmo, Professor of Surgery (TERAV).

In this regard, Juan Luque, Head of the CIBER Technological Development Platform, pointed out that "technology transfer in advanced therapies continues to encounter its main barriers in the lack of early integration between academia, clinical practice, and industry, especially in scaling-up and regulatory aspects." Faced with this challenge, Luque stressed the need for "more agile and stable collaboration models that allow academic developments to be transformed into real solutions for patients."

For this reason, García Olmo defends the role of collaboration among academic groups, healthcare professionals, companies, and all stakeholders involved, "especially in a context in which private investment may retreat due to the lack of clear business models, academic cooperation becomes an essential tool to safeguard the general interest. Without collaboration there is no access. Without access there is no success," he concluded.

Boosting advanced therapies through collaboration

"The development of advanced therapies is neither linear nor simple," explained Ion Arocena, Managing Director of AseBio, and it requires long, costly, and highly regulated value chains. "From basic research to clinical application, the sector faces challenges such as scaling up and manufacturing under GMP conditions, preclinical and clinical validation, defining viable business models, and access to the market and sustained financing."

All too often, "projects with enormous scientific value remain stuck in early stages because they do not find the right environment to progress," making it essential to "close that gap between knowledge and application, between the laboratory and the patient."

In light of this complexity, Arocena emphasized the role of public-private collaboration, which is becoming established as a critical success factor. "Alignment between academia, industry, and public administrations makes it possible to accelerate development, reduce risks, and maximize the social and economic impact of innovation. In this context, AseBio works to ensure that this collaboration is real and effective, acting as a meeting point for the biotechnology ecosystem and promoting spaces for dialogue that help design shared strategies so that innovation in advanced therapies truly reaches patients," he concluded.