Fredrik Andersson on the future of advanced therapy medicinal products
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs): a critical leap in pharmaceutical development
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) represent the next step in precision medicine. These groundbreaking treatments, which include gene therapies, cell therapies, and engineered tissue products, not only offer new hope but also hold the potential to cure some of the most challenging diseases we face today.
Fredrik Andersson, project manager at AFRY, shares his perspective on how ATMPs are reshaping the medical landscape.
"ATMPs are not just regular medical treatments; they are a strong testament to how advanced basic research, which once started in university labs, can now serve the public clinically. These treatments have the potential to save lives by addressing the root cause of many serious diseases, such as cancer, and crucially, unlike chemotherapy, they don’t harm healthy tissue," he explains.
With a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Gothenburg and a postdoctoral fellowship from Cambridge University (UK), Fredrik combines scientific expertise with proven project management methodology. He currently works on a project with CCRM Nordic, who are enabling the development and production of ATMPs to bring these groundbreaking therapies closer to patients.
Unlocking the potential of ATMPs
The incredible potential of ATMPs has also been recognised by the Swedish government, which has tasked Vinnova, the Swedish Innovation Agency, with establishing a national innovation cluster. This cluster focuses on the commercialisation, skills development, and production capacity for cell therapies and other advanced treatments in Sweden, strengthening access to the resources and expertise required for ATMP development.
Today, ATMPs are already transforming how we treat life-threatening diseases. For example, CAR-T cell therapies are being used clinically to tackle aggressive cancers like B-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma. These therapies work by reprogramming the patient’s own immune cells to target cancer cells with incredible precision.
An inspiring case is that of Emily Whitehead, a young girl diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at just six years old. After standard treatments failed, Emily became the first child in the world to receive CAR-T therapy. Her own immune cells were engineered to fight her cancer, leading to extraordinary results. She has been cancer-free for over a decade, demonstrating the revolutionary potential of ATMPs.
Beyond cancer, ATMPs are also treating other conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The gene therapy drug Zolgensma is a breakthrough in this field, delivering a functional copy of a missing or defective gene to effectively treat this rare and life-threatening condition.
Overcoming the challenges
Despite their promising future, ATMPs face obstacles on the road to broader adoption. Cost is a central challenge, driven by the complex processes involved in their development and manufacturing. Scaling up production from small-scale to industrial levels poses substantial technical difficulties.
Fredrik shares his insights on overcoming these challenges. "The path to making ATMPs more affordable and accessible lies in collaboration. We need cross-industry partnerships to streamline manufacturing processes, invest in scaling technologies, and address logistical bottlenecks," he says.
Additionally, storage and transportation present significant hurdles. Many authorised therapies require extremely low temperatures to maintain their activity and effectiveness, while others have different temperature needs. Providing adequate infrastructure to meet these conditions, especially in resource-limited regions, is another step towards improving accessibility.
"Making ATMPs globally available will require more than scientific breakthroughs in the lab. It will require us to rethink how we approach supply chains and distribution at every level," Fredrik explains.
What does the future hold for ATMPs?
ATMPs hold untapped potential to continue revolutionising the way we treat severe diseases. Researchers are exploring their use for tackling challenging conditions like pancreatic cancer and brain cancers, such as glioblastoma. These advancements could drastically improve survival rates and quality of life for affected patients.
"The growth of the field also relies on collaboration between technology, healthcare, and regulatory stakeholders. Investing in optimising manufacturing processes, streamlining logistics, and scaling production will be crucial to making these treatments not only effective but also accessible to a broader patient population," Fredrik concludes.
