TrakCel Forms Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Partnership with WuXi AppTec

On Oct. 1, 2019, TrakCel, a software developer for cell and gene therapy supply chain tracking and orchestration systems, and WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced a collaborative agreement in which the companies will accelerate delivery of advanced therapy treatments.

The collaboration was formed in response to the need of advanced therapy companies, such as cell therapy companies, for having consistent product handling and data capture across all supply chain partners. This would provide full visibility and control of their collection-to-administration supply chain. Visibility and control over the whole supply chain is increasingly being achieved through the deployment of supply chain management software, such as TrakCel’s platform. Challenges can arise, however, if software-driven workflows do not account for established processes in place at each supply chain partner. For example, if a contract manufacturer needs to change their processes to fit in with those designed into supply chain management software, this can increase costs and timelines for software adoption. Conversely, rewriting software after it becomes apparent that it will not work for a contract manufacturer also incurs additional expense and can delay software deployment, according to TrakCel.

TrakCel and WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies will leverage a configured manufacturing module in TrakCel’s software based around WuXi’s current standard operating procedures and preferred workflows. The design of this module will be based on the companies’ long and extensive working relationship. WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies was the first CDMO to use TrakCel’s software, according to the companies. The resultant pre-built manufacturing module in the TrakCel platform will shorten the time and costs associated with deploying an end-to-end solution to TrakCel and WuXi’s mutual clients.

Both WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies and TrakCel will continue to build from their long extensive partnership by exploring opportunities to further enhance their combined service to their mutual customers. For example, automated population of TrakCel’s scheduling system with data from WuXi’s own manufacturing capacity plans will further strengthen the ability of existing clients of both companies to accurately plan patient treatment schedules. By increasing the ability to maximize the utilization of contracted manufacturing resources, this should have a considerable impact on cost of goods to patients and healthcare providers.

“As one of the first CDMOs to use TrakCel’s software and the supply chain partner with more users than any other facility, WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies is well placed to collaborate with TrakCel to identify a more efficient way of working together. It is the latest development in TrakCel’s formation of an international partner ecosystem of connected and complementary cell and gene therapy service providers. This partner ecosystem as a result now includes a commercial scale, third party manufacturing company,” said Ravi Nalliah, CEO, TrakCel, in a company press release. “The TrakCel partnership with WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies will enable both companies to move towards increased standardization and improved delivery of these innovative treatments to patients around the world.” 

“We are pleased to establish a collaborative agreement with TrakCel to support customers that seek to promote streamlining personalized therapies from specimen connections to manufacturing,” said Felix Hsu, senior vice president and global head of WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies, in the press release. “With our leading integrated manufacturing and testing services, we believe we can bring even more speed, reliability and security to an already complex manufacturing and supply chain. We are committed to helping our partners deliver more innovative therapies to patients and the market sooner.”

Source: TrakCel