Applied Gene and Cell Therapy Centre is a new facility being developed in Sharonville, Ohio, US, by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), a non-profit paediatric health system.
The new facility will be developed by renovating an existing building to produce gene, cell, and immunotherapy products for clinical trials.
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The initial investment in the facility is projected to reach approximately $60m, covering expenses related to design, construction, and equipment.
The Cincinnati Children’s Cellular Manipulations Lab and Vector Production Facility, currently situated on the main campus of the CCHMC in Cincinnati, Ohio, will be transferred to the new facility, upon completion in 2025.
The centre is expected to house approximately 100 employees, including 24 new recruits.
Location
The new facility will be housed in an existing building located at 10995 Canal Road in Sharonville, a suburb situated approximately 15 miles (north of Cincinnati.
Developed on a 14.6-acre site, the building earlier housed an auto parts distribution facility.
Applied Gene and Cell Therapy Center details
The Applied Gene and Cell Therapy Center will be housed within a 111,000ft2 building, which is undergoing renovation to meet current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) standards for the production of gene and cell therapy products.
A portion of the building will be designated as a distribution hub for the supply chain serving CCHMC’s three hospitals and 40 other sites.
The facility will feature cGMP cleanrooms, advanced manufacturing capabilities, testing laboratories, office spaces, and warehouse facilities.
The centre’s focus on gene and cell therapy is driven by the pressing global need to carry out clinical trials for innovative medicinal and biological therapies aimed at treating patients with cancer, blood disorders, and genetic diseases.
The facility is expected to advance paediatric research and child health outcomes as globally more than 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually and an estimated eight million are born with congenital anomalies.
The new facility builds upon the success of CCHMC’s Translational Core Laboratory, a pioneering entity in the development, testing, and manufacturing of advanced drugs and therapeutics for early-phase clinical trials over the past 15 years.
Contractors involved
Danis Construction Building, a construction company, has been appointed as the design-builder for the project.
The design team for the project comprises BHDP Architecture, an architectural company, Heapy Engineering, an engineering company, for mechanical systems, Schaefer, a modular warehouse and logistics systems solutions provider, for structural engineering, and bioX, a consulting services provider, for process and design engineering.
Marketing commentary on Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
CCHMC is a non-profit organisation renowned for its comprehensive paediatric healthcare services.
The institution is exploring innovative approaches to healthcare, particularly in areas such as genetics, proton therapy, and bioinformatics.
Moreover, CCHMC is actively addressing social determinants of health to reduce the infant mortality rate.
CCHMC launched the first-of-its-kind Advanced Leukemia Therapies and Research Center to advance research and clinical programmes for the development of new cures for blood cancers in September 2023.
Cincinnati Children’s commitment to paediatric research in gene and cell therapy underscores its dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for children and families worldwide. Approximately one-third of the health system’s 18,500 employees are involved in research activities.
Each year, families from all 50 US states and numerous countries travel to Cincinnati Children’s to seek care for complex or rare disorders.
Cincinnati Children’s is among the top two recipients of paediatric research grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health.
Notably, the health system achieved the top ranking in the 2023-24 list of Best Children’s Hospitals published by US News & World Report.
