ST. PAUL - ScaleReady, in collaboration with Wilson Wolf Manufacturing, Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) and CellReady, today announced the launch of the G-Rex Grant Program, a $20 million initiative to propel the advancement of cell and gene therapies (CGT).
The G-Rex Grant Program will provide academic and commercial institutions engaged in IND enabling pre-clinical research, process development, and/or ongoing GMP manufacturing of cell and gene therapies with the material resources and services needed to implement or optimize a highly efficient G-Rex based cell manufacturing platform. Qualifying programs can receive up to $300,000 in G-Rex devices, critical reagents, capital equipment, application support, and manufacturing consultation services.
'Wilson Wolf is eager to participate in the G-Rex Grant Program,' said John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Wolf Manufacturing. 'G-Rex is used in nearly 50% of CGT clinical trials and four commercially approved T cell therapies. We hope everyone using G-Rex, or considering G-Rex, will take advantage of our extensive cell therapy manufacturing expertise. Time and money are the two most important things in short supply in this field and we can help fix that. When allowed to review batch records, we have a proven history of saving many months and millions of dollars while simultaneously increasing yield and potency.'
'The G-Rex Grant Program is a transformative initiative that will significantly reduce the barrier to entry for CGT institutions who seek access to our industry leading G-Rex platform,' said Josh Ludwig, Global Commercial Director at ScaleReady. 'Time is the most valuable resource we all have. G-Rex is the only integrated development and manufacturing platform in the world that provides continuity between the research, development, and manufacturing functions. G-Rex platform continuity saves valuable time by ensuring that critical process parameters (CPPs) and critical quality attributes (CQAs) are conserved during the translation or troubleshooting process. By equipping researchers and developers with the best-in-class tools and expertise they need, we can accelerate the development and improve the manufacturability of these potentially lifesaving treatments.'
'Bio-Techne is committed to providing researchers with the tools they need to develop groundbreaking therapies,' said Will Geist, President of Bio-Techne's Protein Sciences Segment. 'The G-Rex Grant Program aligns perfectly with this mission by supporting the development of cell and gene therapies that have the potential to revolutionize healthcare.'
G-Rex Grants will be awarded to applicants that provide a compelling overview of why a G-Rex Grant would be beneficial, a strong willingness to work collaboratively to achieve program goals, a demonstrated track record of successful program management, and a provision of well understood deliverables.
The application process is designed to be simple and facilitate a collaborative discussion to refine potential program goals. By participating, recipients can expect faster and more cost-effective development timelines, a smoother transition from research labs to GMP manufacturing, and a stronger data package for IND applications. Ultimately, the program aims to expedite clinical data generation, reduce the complexity of the development process, increase the manufacturability, throughput and scalability of existing or future CGT programs, and increase patient access to these potentially lifesaving therapies.
About ScaleReady
ScaleReady is a center of excellence that is bringing the future of cell and gene therapies to life with its powerful and versatile manufacturing platform and extensive array of collaborative CGT experts. Founded in 2020, ScaleReady is a joint venture of Bio-Techne, Fresenius Kabi, and Wilson Wolf that brings together tools and technologies for cell culture, cell activation, gene editing, and cell processing from each founding partner.
About Wilson Wolf Manufacturing
Wilson Wolf (www.wilsonwolf.com) is dedicated to simplifying cell and gene-modified cell (CGT) therapy research, process development, and manufacturing. This is being accomplished through its scalable G-Rex technology, which is used throughout the world in CGT applications ranging from basic research to commercial drug production.
Wilson Wolf's mission is to create hope for cancer patients, one G-Rex device at a time.
About Bio-Techne Corporation
Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) is a global life sciences company providing innovative tools and bioactive reagents for the research and clinical diagnostic communities. Bio-Techne, in partnership with Wilson Wolf, is creating products such as media and cytokines that are specifically tailored to G-Rex Bioreactors, including right sized reagent quantities in containers that are tailored to high throughput closed system manufacturing.
Contact:
David Clair
Email: david.clair@bio-techne.com
Tel: 612-656-4416
About CellReady LLC
CellReady is the world's first and only G-Rex centric contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in G-Rex based cell and gene-modified cell therapy development and manufacturing. The company offers a wide range of services to support the development and commercialization of these therapies.
CellReady's mission is to create hope for cancer patients, one G-Rex process at a time.
BIO-TECHNE CORPORATION 
