First CARAT training course on “GMP-compliant CAR T cell manufacturing” completed

Just at the end of the first half of the CARAT project, a first one-week training course on “GMP-compliant CAR T cell manufacturing” took place on December 11-15, 2017at Miltenyi Biotec headquarters in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.

Five outstanding scientists from all over Europe with profound experience in the cell and gene therapy field were granted fellowships by the CARAT consortium. The programme of the training course included an application-specific introduction to a fully automated CAR-T cell generation process and instructions for the complex procedure of T cell transduction. Detailed information was given on scientific, regulatory, logistic and quality control matters with regard to CAR T cell manufacturing. Moreover, the trainees received intensive hands-on and failure-handling training on T cell transduction using Miltenyi Biotec’s automated CliniMACS Prodigy Platform.

The small group size and purpose-designed laboratories allowed very efficient training to further deepen practical expertise and facilitate networking among trainees. Open and inspiring discussions with the highly experienced trainers enabled the trainees to receive the information relevant for their research field.

The huge success of this first CARAT training course is reflected by the very positive feedback we received from the participants. We are very much looking forward to the second CARAT training planned for the end of 2018. The deadline for the application and further information will be announced on the CARAT webpage soon.