The Institute of Biomedicine of Sevilla (IBiS) will have an additional 1,650 square meters to house a CAR-T therapy manufacturing platform, a six million euro investment from the Junta de Andalucía.
The Institute of Biomedicine of Sevilla (IBiS) has announced the expansion of its facilities with 1,650 square meters dedicated to a production platform for CAR-T cell therapies, an innovative treatment for haematological cancers such as multiple myeloma and certain lymphomas. The investment, amounting to six million euros, is funded by the Junta de Andalucía.
A Space for Advanced Therapy Manufacturing
The new space, which will be located within IBiS, will include clean rooms, cell production laboratories, and quality control areas. Currently, the academic CAR-T platform operates at the Regional Centre for Transfusions, Tissues, and Cells of Sevilla, but with this expansion, it will be integrated into the institute, allowing for optimized processes and scaled production.
IBiS recently became the second public centre in Spain authorized to produce the lentiviral vectors necessary for manufacturing these therapies. This step is crucial for transferring treatments from the laboratory to patients, a challenge that will now be facilitated by the new infrastructure.
As explained by the Minister of the Presidency, Health, and Emergency, Antonio Sanz, during a visit to the centre, the expansion aims to strengthen IBiS's research capacity and promote the arrival of national and international projects. "Sevilla is consolidating as a reference hub for advanced therapies," he stated.
Cutting-Edge Technology for Personalized Medicine
In addition to the CAR-T platform, IBiS has incorporated a spatial multi-omic analysis system, a technology considered unique in Spain. This tool allows for the study of cells while preserving their position within tissues, opening new possibilities in personalized medicine research.
The institute, which brings together more than 1,400 professionals across 84 research groups, is linked to the University of Sevilla, the CSIC, and the Virgen del Rocío, Virgen Macarena, and Virgen de Valme university hospitals. With 8,000 square meters of facilities, 67 laboratories, and three research platforms, IBiS is one of the leading biomedical references in Andalucía.
For patients in Sevilla, this expansion represents hope: CAR-T therapies, which modify immune system cells to attack tumours, could be developed and applied more quickly in the region. "It is a breakthrough that brings cutting-edge treatments closer to our community," a spokesperson for IBiS highlighted.
A Promising Future Against Haematological Cancer
The six million euro investment not only expands the physical space but also provides IBiS with its own infrastructure for the development of advanced therapies. This includes the production of lentiviral vectors, a complex process that has so far limited the availability of these treatments.
With this expansion, the Junta de Andalucía aims to consolidate IBiS's role as a reference centre for advanced therapies and personalized medicine. Sevilla is thus positioning itself as one of the biomedical research hubs in the country, competing with other major centres such as La Paz Hospital in Madrid or the Clínic in Barcelona.
Construction work for the expansion will begin in the coming months, and the new platform is expected to be operational within two years. Meanwhile, IBiS continues to work on clinical trials and research projects that are already yielding promising results in patients with haematological cancer.
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