Vancouver, Canada and Washington, DC, US, April 5, 2016 - The International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT), the global society of clinicians, researchers, regulators, technologists, and industry partners dedicated to the translation of cellular therapy into safe and effective therapies to improve patients’ lives, today announces the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the international organization representing the gene and cellular therapies and the regenerative medicine sector.
The agreement has been signed by Massimo Dominici, M.D., ISCT President, and Morrie Ruffin, ARM Managing Director. ISCT will become an honorary member of ARM, and vice versa. This agreement will extend collaborations between the two international organizations. Since ARM’s establishment in 2009, both organizations have collaborated on a series of projects, including authoring white papers. ARM and ISCT members have held leadership roles in both organizations.
This MOU will enable the two organizations to collaborate more closely in future. An ISCT-ARM Joint Committee will monitor and plan activities and projects on a considerably wider and more consistent basis. These joint activities will commence with a number of proposed projects on standards. This includes formulating and managing an International Standards Coordinating Body as well as a number of activities to improve ISO standards for cell therapy and other regenerative medicines. ISCT and ARM will also collaborate on each other’s conference programs, communication and education initiatives specifically related to cell therapy.
“In recent years, cellular therapies have expanded exponentially. This is in terms of scientific discoveries, clinical results and investment, all of which generates enormous opportunities for patients as well as the industry,” said Massimo Dominici, M.D., ISCT President. “This potential requires a collaboration from the top organizations representing the cell therapy community combining pre-clinical research and cell processing with clinical translation and commercialization. This has the goal to bring together academic and pharmaceutical developments in the field, at the same time respecting and valuing the combined expertise. As a result, it will be critical for ISCT and ARM to work closely together to monitor and drive the cell therapy sector to jointly face the challenges and to realize its full potential in delivering life saving and changing treatments to patients.”
ISCT has also increased its ability to work towards developing consensus between key stakeholders and balancing the interests of industry, academia and regulators by implementing changes in its Global Executive Committee. Dan Weiss, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Scientific Officer will be joined by Miguel Forte, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Commercialization Officer and Karen Nichols, Esq. as Chief Regulatory Officer. This will provide organizational focus on the key areas required to successfully deliver new cell therapies to patients.
“This collaboration between ISCT and ARM will enable academia, regulators and industry to work more closely together than any time in the history of the sector. This is essential for the field to continue to develop, and to bring new value adding propositions for all involved in the sector, and new options for patients,” said Miguel Forte, M.D., Ph.D Chief Commercialization Officer, ISCT. “The cell therapy field continues to require ongoing development and intellectual and financial investment globally, especially regarding process development, manufacturing strategies and market access. The opportunities created by this MOU have never been stronger.”
“ARM and ISCT are united by a common goal of advancing innovative cell therapies,” said Morrie Ruffin, ARM Managing Director. “Our further collaboration on various projects streamlines efforts to bring potentially life-saving treatments to patients with current unmet medical needs.”
About the International Society for Cellular Therapy
Established in 1992, the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) is a global society of clinicians, regulators, researchers, technologists and industry partners with a shared vision to translate cellular therapy into safe and effective therapies to improve patients’ lives worldwide.
ISCT is the global leader focused on pre-clinical and translational aspects of developing cell-based therapeutics, thereby advancing scientific research into innovative treatments for patients. ISCT offers a unique collaborative environment that addresses three key areas of translation: Academia, Regulatory and Commercialization. Through strong relationships with global regulatory agencies, academic institutions and industry partners, ISCT drives the advancement of research into standard of care.
Comprised of over 1300 cell therapy experts across five geographic regions and representation from over 50 countries, ISCT members are part of a global community of peers, thought leaders and organizations invested in cell therapy translation. For more information about the society, key initiatives and upcoming meetings, please visit: www.celltherapysociety.org, @ISCTglobal.
About The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine
The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is an international multi-stakeholder advocacy organization that promotes legislative, regulatory and reimbursement initiatives necessary to facilitate access to life-giving advances in regenerative medicine worldwide. ARM also works to increase public understanding of the field and its potential to transform human healthcare, providing business development and investor outreach services to support the growth of its member companies and research organizations. Prior to the formation of ARM in 2009, there was no advocacy organization operating in Washington, D.C. to specifically represent the interests of the companies, research institutions, investors and patient groups that comprise the entire regenerative medicine community. Today, ARM has more than 240 members and is the leading global advocacy organization in this field. To learn more about ARM or to become a member, visit http://www.alliancerm.org.
