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Bracco Imaging Expands into Cell Therapy Manufacturing

Introduction of Innovative Microbubble Technology

Bracco Imaging has made a significant announcement regarding its entrance into the cell therapy manufacturing market, presenting a novel microbubble-based technology. This innovative approach aims to supplant traditional magnetic beads which have long been utilized for cell selection and activation processes.

Leveraging Established Expertise

Bracco, widely recognized for its advanced contrast agents and imaging technologies, is harnessing its lipid-based microbubble platform—clinically validated over 25 years in contrast-enhanced ultrasound. By doing so, the company is striving to simplify the upstream steps involved in the production of cell therapies. The introduction of Bracco’s microbubbles is intended to deliver a bead-free alternative for enriching and activating cells, thereby reducing stress on the cells themselves and minimizing the potential complications caused by residual materials that often encumber downstream processing.

Enhanced Flexibility in Operations

In terms of operational capabilities, Bracco emphasizes that this groundbreaking technology allows for both positive and negative selection strategies. This versatility can be particularly advantageous to developers as they work to isolate complex immune cell subsets that are typically more challenging to purify, going beyond the standard CD3+ selection protocols predominately used in T-cell therapy manufacturing.

CEO’s Vision for the Future

Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, the CEO of Bracco Imaging SpA, has remarked, “After over two decades of utilization in diagnostic imaging, we have discerned that Bracco’s microbubble technology harbors transformative potential for cell therapy manufacturing.” He believes this innovation will accelerate the manufacturing process, making it not only faster and more affordable but also widely accessible. The goal is to provide a cleaner, scalable option for cell selection that can broaden the horizons for both developers and platform providers in the industry.

Addressing Manufacturing Challenges

Bracco executives have also brought attention to the “zero-footprint” concept inherent in this new technology. This principle implies that the separation vector dissolves completely rather than remaining attached to the cells, solving a critical challenge in manufacturing. Vice President of Cell Therapy, Sophie He, pointed out that the company is targeting a key manufacturing pain point by allowing for sophisticated control of cell populations when mere enrichment is insufficient. By minimizing disruptions to intracellular signaling pathways, Bracco believes this approach can create a much cleaner starting point essential for genetic modification, activation, and subsequent expansion.

Simplified Workflow

The microbubbles can be efficiently “popped” or simply allowed to dissolve over time, considerably streamlining the workflow compared to bead-based methodologies, which typically involve cumbersome additional removal steps.

Strategic Collaborations for Commercialization

To facilitate the commercialization of its innovative technology, Bracco is assembling a dedicated cell therapy team focused on strategic partnerships, extensive technology evaluations, and the development of robust platforms. Furthermore, the company has secured collaborations with CellBri for the co-development of a flexible closed-cell selection system, alongside Limula and experts from the University of Fribourg. These efforts aim to create automated alternatives to traditional bead-based selection and activation methodologies. Bracco has expressed anticipation of sharing additional updates later this year as early-access partners begin to generate performance data applicable to various use cases.

New Manufacturing Facility

The manufacturing operations will be established at Bracco’s new GMP-compliant facility in Geneva, where the company intends to scale up the production of the microbubble technology.

Upcoming Events and Future Projections

Bracco will showcase this innovative technology at Advanced Therapies Week 2026 in San Diego, featuring an exhibit in the Innovation Zone at Stand P6. The company is also scheduled to present a session titled “Using Universal Microbubbles to Optimize T-cell Selection and Activation” on February 10 from 1:00 to 1:15 p.m.

Open and Integration-Ready Platform

Bracco’s platform is designed to be open and integration-ready, ensuring compatibility with automated and closed manufacturing systems. The company anticipates that this technology will be available for clinical use by 2027.

How AI legalese decoder Can Help

In navigating the complex regulatory and legal landscape associated with innovative biotechnologies like Bracco’s microbubble system, AI legalese decoder can be an invaluable resource. By simplifying legal jargon and providing clear interpretations of compliance requirements, the tool enables companies to better understand intellectual property rights, regulatory obligations, and partnership agreements. This can significantly expedite the commercialization process, helping innovators like Bracco swiftly adapt to evolving legal frameworks while focusing on their core capabilities in cell therapy development.

Stay Updated

For further details, you can visit: www.bracco.com/celltherapy

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