Institutional and infrastructure challenges for hospitals producing advanced therapies in the UK: the concept of ‘point-of-care manufacturing readiness'

Aim: To propose the concept of point-of-care manufacturing readiness for analyzing the capacity that a country, a health system or an institution has developed to manufacture therapies in clinical settings (point-of-care manufacture). The focus is on advanced therapies (cell, gene and tissue engineering therapies) in the UK. Materials & methods: Literature review, analysis of quantitative data, and qualitative interviews with professionals and practitioners developing and administering advanced therapies. Results: Three components of point-of-care manufacturing readiness are analyzed staff and institutional procedures, infrastructure, and relations between hospitals and service providers. Conclusion: The technical and regulatory experience that has been gained through manufacturing advanced therapies at small scale in hospitals qualifies the UK for more complex and larger-scale production of therapies in the future.