Promising therapies for patients one step closer

The urgency is high in the field of regenerative medicine. Promising therapies are in the pipeline from the lab to the patient, but a good infrastructure is needed to make this possible. With that promise and funding from the national growth fund, RegMed XB started building a pilot plant for regenerative medicine. The first grant of 23 million euros was mainly intended for physical infrastructure and the second part of a maximum of 33 million is also intended for further development and upscaling. Today, the government decided to definitively grant the second phase as well. The realization of the pilot plant not only contributes to affordable healthcare. It is also an important means to increase the innovative power of the Netherlands.

Bernard Mulder (CEO of RegMed XB): "We are pleased that the good progress on the realization of the infrastructure of this Pilot Factory has led to this positive decision by the government. This will allow us to build the infrastructure needed for the development and production of regenerative therapies that can help patients in the future."

A unique cooperation

The new facilities in different regions together form the national pilot factory. They cover the entire chain of development and production of stem cells, mini-organs, tissues and smart (bio) materials.

• Leiden: since mid-2021, the renovation and furnishing of the infrastructure has started. Leiden realizes this in the Dutch Center for the Clinical Advancement of Stem cell and Gene Therapies (NecstGen). In addition, the Leiden University Medical Center is working on a facility where induced pluripotent stem cells and their applications can be developed. The facility is expected to be completed in the summer of 2022.
• Brabant: the Smart Biomaterials Consortium Foundation (SBMC) has started the realization of a high-quality infrastructure as the basis of a production ecosystem for bio- and biocompatible materials suitable for regenerative medicine applications.
• Utrecht: the UMC Utrecht realizes the Innovation Center for Advanced Therapies with a facility for bio-fabrication, a (GMP) simulation environment and a GMP production facility for regenerative medicine.
• Limburg: ReGEN Biomedical, in collaboration with Maastricht University, has started designing and developing an infrastructure for the production line for (small) tissues.

Greater innovative power

The Netherlands is already one of the forerunners in the field of regenerative medicine. The pilot plant provides an important boost in this emerging industry. Thanks to the support of the National Growth Fund and the investment of provinces, private parties and knowledge institutions, the ecosystem is created in which parties work closely together and that brings a cure for chronic diseases a step closer.

RegMed XB

Regenerative Medicine Crossing Borders (RegMed XB) is a patient-driven public-private partnership dedicated to bringing affordable regenerative medicine solutions to patients with chronic conditions. Regenerative medicine focuses on repairing damage to cells, tissues and organs that can prevent or cure chronic diseases. For this purpose, stem cells, mini-organs, tissues and smart (bio) materials are used. RegMed XB connects top clusters in the field of regenerative medicine in different regions in the Netherlands (Leiden, Brabant, Utrecht and Limburg), and Flanders (Leuven). RegMed XB's ambitious research currently focuses on curing type 1 diabetes, kidney failure, osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease.

Bernard Mulder, MD MBA
General Director