In an era marked by significant advancements in biotechnology, the Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) sector is undergoing a transformative shift. With growing demand for advanced therapies, particularly in cell and gene therapies, the landscape presents significant opportunities for GHO Capital. Here, Operating Partner Geoffrey Hamilton-Fairley discusses the current CDMO landscape and the emerging opportunities for GHO, whilst reflecting on how his diverse experience has been applied to his role.
As an Operating Partner at GHO Capital who has spent my career working across a range of different technologies, I find the CDMO sector particularly compelling, especially given my background in advanced therapies. Gene and cell therapies continue to evolve, creating an increasing need for specialised manufacturing and development support, and CDMOs are becoming increasingly vital for the advancement of these potentially curative therapies.
In my role as Executive Chairman at RoslinCT, a highly advanced cell and gene therapy CDMO, I’ve taken a more hands-on leadership approach. When I first joined the company, it was at an early stage and required strong operational input to take advantage of the growing needs in the cell and gene therapy space. I have always believed that, when you’re growing a business, it’s not just about the high-level strategy; it’s about understanding the intricacies of the operational challenges and helping to solve them. A key feature of successful growth is that senior management have this practical experience.
A vital reason for RoslinCT’s success has been the way in which it gets involved from the very beginning of product development. The ability to design processes that can be scaled effectively, while maintaining the highest quality is absolutely paramount for CDMOs to succeed. When you get that right, you have the potential to offer therapies that are not only effective but also cost-efficient.
Healthcare companies often focus too much on the science and not enough on the practical aspects of scaling a business. Throughout my career I have seen a lot of companies fail because they didn’t understand the complexities of getting their innovations to market in a scalable, sustainable way. What makes GHO stand out in the healthcare space is our ability to adapt quickly and scale. Our global network, paired with deep industry knowledge, enables us to spot opportunities and navigate challenges with agility. We’re embedded within the market and able to therefore adjust our strategies to build long-term, sustainable businesses. This focus has enabled us to scale businesses internationally, turning regional players into global champions.
In my view, the future of CDMOs lies in being integrated partners with biotech companies from the very start. As more companies enter the gene therapy space, many are unprepared for the complexities involved in manufacturing at scale. Some companies have tried to enter the space, only to find themselves overwhelmed by the technical demands. This, in turn, presents an opportunity for companies with the right expertise – like RoslinCT – to deliver value that others can’t.
We’ve seen significant progress in the cell and gene therapy space to-date. Vertex’s groundbreaking approval of Casgevy for sickle cell disease marked a significant milestone in cell and gene therapy – and RoslinCT has been instrumental at every critical stage in the development and commercialisation of this product. From initial development through current manufacturing, our end-to-end expertise has helped to transform this revolutionary treatment from scientific possibility to patient reality. In the coming years, I believe we’ll see huge advancements in both cell and gene therapy, alongside increasing affordability and availability. The push for off-the-shelf therapies is already underway, and as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) gain traction, we will see a revolution in how therapies are produced and distributed in the allogenic space. This is where RoslinCT, with its unrivalled experience, is already well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities.
The potential for cell and gene therapies is vast. The ability to directly engineer and target cells with gene therapies offers hope for diseases that were once considered untreatable. The road ahead is not free from challenges and it will take some trial and error to make some of these therapies not only effective but accessible to a wider population. That’s where CDMOs will play a key role, ensuring that manufacturing processes evolve alongside the science.
The demand for high-quality CDMOs to manage complex manufacturing processes has never been higher, creating exciting opportunities for GHO Capital. By focusing on companies with the right scientific expertise, operational capabilities, and scalable technologies, GHO can utilise its innovative approach and unrivalled network to help shape the future of the CDMO sector.