The Novo Nordisk Foundation Serrator is being developed in Lyngby, Denmark. Credit: Tegnestuen Kontekst/DTU.
The facility will be located at DTU in Lyngby. Credit: DTU.
Cellerator supports the development of cell therapies. Credit: FrentaN via Shutterstock.
Denmark-based healthcare company Novo Nordisk is developing a new advanced laboratory facility called the Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellarator in Lyngby, Denmark, for the development of cell therapies.
Cellerator is set up as a limited liability company and is wholly owned and funded by Novo Nordisk’s independent philanthropic arm, the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
With an investment of up to DKK 950 million ($136.2 million), the facility will provide services ranging from process development to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing, product release and regulatory support.
Cellerator serves both public and private organizations in academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries. This will be the first large-scale production site in Denmark to offer such comprehensive expertise and services.
Construction of the facility is expected to begin in mid-2024 and be operational by 2027.
position
The Cellerator will be located at the Danish Technical University (DTU) in Lyngby and will leverage the university’s cell manufacturing and infrastructure expertise.
This strategic location fosters synergies with DTU’s research, education and innovation activities in health technology and biotechnology, allowing us to benefit from collaborations with start-ups and established companies.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Serrator details
The Cellerator will house process development and GMP facilities tailored to the specific needs of cell therapy services.
The facility will be equipped with automation and the latest technology to support different types of cell therapies, including those derived from embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and adult stem cells.
The focus will be on the development of cell therapies that have been successful in animal studies and large-scale manufacturing for early clinical trials. Additionally, the facility has built-in flexibility to meet changing demands on site.
Cell therapy is an innovative approach to treating chronic diseases by using living cells to repair or replace damaged tissues and cells.
Despite promising clinical test results, many potential treatments have not progressed to human clinical trials due to challenges in development and large-scale manufacturing.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellarator aims to fill this gap by becoming Europe’s premier facility for manufacturing cell therapies for clinical trials. It is expected to revolutionize the treatment of chronic diseases and drive advances that have the potential to reshape healthcare.
Cellerator also provides unique opportunities for researchers and students to apply cell technologies to treat a variety of diseases, including chronic heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer.
partners involved
Cellerator will collaborate with reNEW, an international research center specializing in stem cell medicine, which is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Founded in 2021, reNEW is based in Denmark, Australia and the Netherlands and is focused on developing new stem cell-based treatments. The partnership, officially signed in September 2023, will help advance research from the laboratory to clinical application.
Contractors involved
The conceptual design for the new facility was developed by Tegnestuen Kontekst, a Denmark-based architecture and planning firm.
Novo Nordisk Marketing Commentary
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Novo Nordisk is focused on fighting chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, rare blood disorders and endocrine diseases.
The company has more than 59,000 employees in 80 offices and sells products in 170 countries.
With 16 production sites and 10 research and development centres, Novo Nordisk is a leader in scientific innovation and access to medicines.
The company’s commitment to health, social and planetary sustainability is reflected in its ability to produce half of the world’s insulin supply, serve 36 million users, and conduct clinical trials around the world. It has been.
Novo Nordisk established the Novo Nordisk Foundation in 1924 to support the company’s commercial and research activities. Since then, the foundation has evolved to support research and innovation and establish a life sciences ecosystem around the world.