Are Cell and Gene Therapy Innovations Ready for Widespread Use?

The challenges healthcare executives and administrators face are constantly changing. Host Kevin Stevenson talks with the heroes behind the heroes that are enabling hospitals, urgent care centers and telemedicine operators to spend their time tending to patients, while they handle the logistics.

 

Treatment of diseases like cancer and HIV is hitting a new frontier with cell-based therapy. This new therapy invigorates the medical world, but it’s not widely accessible yet. Discussing the breakthroughs in these treatments, I Don’t Care host Kevin Stevenson spoke with immunologist Dr. Chris Xu, CEO of ThermoGenesis, a medical device company that’s a pioneer in the field.

“Cell-based therapy came about 13 years ago, and we’ve been fostering the field around cord blood, with 90% of FDA approved cord blood stored in a nitrogen system we developed,” Dr. Xu explained.

That was the company’s beginning, but it has aspirations to do much more. That requires a shift in treatment perspective. “We’ve long used drugs to treat illnesses, but cancer is much more complex. The newly approved therapy takes a patient’s T-cells, which are part of the immune system. It reprograms them to recognize cancer and fight it. It’s the future of medicine,” Dr. Xu said.

“Using someone’s T-cells turns their body into the best defense mechanism against disease.” – Dr. Chris Xu

Thus far, Dr. Xu reported that patients with leukemia and lymphomas have a 93% response rate. He also noted that cancer treatment is just the beginning. Over 1200 trials targeting every type of cancer are ongoing.

HIV is another disease where cell gene therapy has promise. “We discovered that a small percentage of the population doesn’t carry the receptor for HIV, which is necessary for the virus to enter a cell. We can modify cells not to have it, making the patient HIV resistant.”

While the promise of new treatments is here, Dr. Xu noted there are two big impediments. One is cost, with treatments costing as much as $500,000. The other is that patients may no longer have T-cells due to radiation, chemo, or other issues. That’s why he recommends storing cord blood for future use.

Listen to Previous Episodes of I Don’t Care!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

DisruptED in Advanced Manufacturing: The Bridgestone Story with Will Robbins Pt. 2
February 14, 2025

As the tire industry experiences and faces rapid change, Bridgestone — a global leader in mobility solutions — is leveraging cutting-edge technology and a deep-rooted culture of innovation to redefine what tires can do. From AI-driven analytics to sustainability initiatives, Bridgestone is at the forefront of an evolving landscape. But what truly sets them apart…

Read More
DisruptED in Advanced Manufacturing: The Bridgestone Story with Will Robbins Pt. 1
February 14, 2025

The automotive world is seeing some unprecedented change, and the tire industry is no exception. As electric vehicles (EVs) grow in popularity, sustainability is a major concern. With new mobility trends emerging, companies like Bridgestone are at the forefront of innovation. Additionally, with the popularity of vehicles on the road being fitted with Bridgestone or…

Read More
advanced manufacturing
Female Leaders in the DisruptED World of Advanced Manufacturing with Rachel Potee
February 14, 2025

The manufacturing industry is undergoing rapid transformation, with automation, AI, and cutting-edge technology redefining how products are made and distributed. Despite these advancements, one challenge remains: gender diversity. Women still hold a disproportionately low number of leadership positions in manufacturing, making stories of female leaders all the more essential. In fact, according to a…

Read More
Co-Sell Connection 2025
Verizon Partner Network Co-Sell Connection 2025 Kick Off
February 13, 2025

The Co-Sell Connection 2025 webinar kicked off with a warm welcome from the host, Cesar Turan. The series aims to spotlight Verizon products and solutions and provide insights from top thought leaders to help navigate the evolving business landscape. Key Speakers and Topics In this session, Verizon’s partner leadership team, including Martina the Channel…

Read More