ReNeuron has won a £1.8 million grant from Innovate UK to advance its next generation commercial cell therapy manufacturing capabilities.

The award will support work being undertaken by the UK stem cell company and the Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult.

In particular it will fund key process development activities relating to up-scaled commercial manufacture of ReNeuron’s cell therapy candidates.

Sharon Grimster, general manager, Wales, at ReNeuron, said: “We are delighted to have won this prestigious and highly competitive grant from Innovate UK. It enables us to further pursue and optimise our cell therapy manufacturing processes as our therapeutic programmes get closer to market.

“The grant award will also assist ReNeuron in the execution of its strategy to ultimately bring the manufacture of its cell therapy candidates in-house to meet demand following market approval.”

ReNeuron’s lead stem cell candidate is for patients left disabled by a stroke. Last year a Phase I trial of showed its CTX cell therapy candidate improved neurological function in patients with stable motor disability following a stroke for at least 24 months.