A number of obstacles remain before stem cell therapies become widely commercially viable, according to business intelligence provider GBI Research.
The company’s latest report states that the stem cell therapy pipeline as a whole is relatively large, with 330 products in active development across all stages. Indeed, R&D within the sector is gaining momentum as candidates move into clinical development, and the results of clinical studies become apparent, clarifying the therapeutic potential of stem cell therapy.
Rodrigo Gutierrez Gamboa, managing analyst for GBI Research, said: “The stem cell space provides therapeutic potential in indications where current pharmacological and surgical treatment options are ineffective. However, there remains a significant divide between the number of stem cell therapeutic applications currently available for patients and the number of research programs investigating the wider medical applications of stem-cell-based therapies.
“Stem cells are currently being used for a modest variety of indications, with skin and blood stem cells representing the majority of therapeutic uses. The stem cell industry is pursuing a broad base of therapeutic applications, and this is evident in the R&D efforts observed in the sector, as over 15 therapy areas are being targeted by the stem cell industry in over 1,000 clinical trials.”
Despite promising recent developments within the field of stem cell technology, converting its scientific potential into real therapeutic value still represents a significant challenge.
According to GBI Research’s survey of key opinion leaders, the stem cells field is still surrounded by a wide variety of obstacles, most notably the high cost of research, which survey participants stated was the biggest factor limiting stem cell progress.
Gamboa added: “Manufacturers will need to adopt novel strategies to realize their full potential. It is likely that manufacturing methodologies will use partially or fully automated systems in future approaches, in order to improve yield, purity and cost-effectiveness.
“There have been good strides made by stem cell manufacturing companies, such as those made by Cynata Therapeutics, which is implementing innovative manufacturing methods to generate robust, consistent and inexpensive stem cells. Such companies are pointing towards a promising outlook in this regard.”