Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies partners with South Korea’s KBIOHealth to help develop nation’s cell and gene therapy workforce
KBIOHealth to leverage Terumo BCT’s expertise, as well as Quantum Flex and Finia system, for advanced training programs aimed at growing CGT manufacturing in Korea and beyond.
27 Mar 2025Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, (Terumo BCT), a medical technology company, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Osong Medical Innovation Foundation (KBIOHealth) toward joint development of workforce training for cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing. The partners will begin by creating training programs to support the manufacture of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and chimeric antigen (CAR) T-cell therapies, both with workflows based on Terumo BCT’s suite of products, including the Quantum Flex™ Cell Expansion System, a leading bioreactor globally.
Korean companies provide at least 14 Ministry of Food and Drug Safety-approved CGTs, including three MSC therapies [1], and three-quarters of cell-based therapy clinical trials launched over the last three months have been in Asia-Pacific countries [2], but the workforce needed to manufacture them is strained due to the skill level needed to perform complex processes. KBIOHealth, a public institution in South Korea that builds biomedical infrastructure to support commercial innovation, has offered biopharma job training since 2022 and aims to become a CGT growth engine for Korea and the region by helping standardize manufacturing workforce training.
Next year, KBIOHealth will launch a training center to expand access to biopharma and manufacturing training, particularly for CGTs, centered on automated manufacturing workflows developed on Terumo BCT’s Quantum Flex and Finia™ Fill and Finish System. Under the new agreement, the two organizations will codevelop training programs where participants will learn state-of-the-art cell therapy manufacturing techniques under a comprehensive curriculum. The training program will include hands-on and VR training for good manufacturing practice (GMP)-based cell therapy manufacturing and quality control, human-derived cell culture, and culture using bioreactors.
As part of its mission, KBIOHealth fosters the growth of advanced regenerative medicine therapeutics and has previously offered training on Quantum Flex for MSC manufacturing. With at least 14 ongoing clinical trials in five countries utilizing the platform, Quantum Flex is a leading bioreactor for clinical MSC and adherent cell expansion. Terumo BCT supports collaborative growth through its holistic CGT ecosystem, which includes not only Quantum Flex but also Finia and the Spectra Optia™ Apheresis System, as well as a unique set of experiential insights that support standardization in areas like CAR T-cell therapies and workforce solutions for complex procedures in newer areas.
“Our goal is to create a foundation for the global advanced regenerative medicine field and produce tangible results through collaboration with Terumo BCT. Their commitment to workforce training and strong R&D pipeline ensures a growing opportunity for future knowledge transfers related to workflow development for additional cell types and applications,” said Myung-soo Lee, Chairman of KBIOHealth. “We plan to continuously expand various global programs to lead the development of the global biohealth industry and foster specialized human resources in the advanced regenerative medicine field.”
“Terumo BCT is committed to proactively supporting the strategic growth in Korea and increasing our presence with world-class expertise in cell therapy manufacturing,” said Veerle d'Haenens, General Manager, Global Therapy Innovations at Terumo BCT. “This new MOU reflects both the growth in our long-standing collaboration with KBIOHealth, and the amazing work done by the organization to grow the highly skilled workforce necessary for the success of cell- and tissue-based therapies in Korea and globally.”
Quantum Flex™, Finia™ and Spectra Optia™ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Terumo BCT, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
References
[1] MFDS. The 2022 Workplan of Biologics Assessment-Approval. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (2022). Available online at: https://www.mfds.go.kr/brd/m_220/down.do?brd_id=data0014&seq=32839&data_tp=A&file_seq=4 (accessed March 16, 2022).
[2] Based on a search of clinical trials in the GlobalData database. Retrieved March 6, 2025 from https://globaldata.com/.