Press Releases
MFX is the Official Hardware Partner in the EcoCAR Consortium – An Innovate UK Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Funded Collaboration
Making CAR-T Cell Manufacturing More Sustainable
London, UK, 19th November 2025 – MFX a UK-based developer of next-generation scalable bioreactor platforms, has been awarded the Grand Challenge grant under Innovate UK’s Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme (SMMIP). Together with the Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UCL, Autolus, Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult, Imperial College and Biopharm Services, they are forming the EcoCAR Consortium – a multi-million-pound collaboration aiming to make CAR-T manufacture more sustainable via key innovations in vector design & delivery and low-volume bioreactor automation.
The project aims to develop a more sustainable CAR-T cell manufacturing process that reduces waste through manufacture in a single-low volume vessel, resulting in a “one-pot” CAR-T manufacturing solution.
CAR-T cell therapy has transformed patient outcomes. But access remains constrained by high operational costs, lengthy production times and complex logistics. Current autologous CAR-T workflows and hardware rely heavily on energy- and resource-intensive cleanroom manufacturing facilities. This high environmental footprint goes hand-in-hand with existing manufacturing complexity.
This project underscores one of the UKs priorities in the life sciences, particularly in ATMP manufacturing and access to these therapies via cost-effective innovation. The EcoCAR partners aim to quantify and demonstrate that CAR-T manufacturing can be less costly, more sustainable, and more accessible to a broader range of patients.
Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA), Professor Dame Angela McLean says: “By championing rigorous research and collaboration, we can unlock scientific innovation that improves patient care and drives economic growth. This investment will support UK scientists and engineers to deliver further breakthroughs in cutting-edge fields, such as engineering biology, to address society’s most pressing health challenges.”
Césaré Cejas, VP of Research & Innovation at MFX says: “MFX is proud and extremely excited to be the official hardware partner in the EcoCAR Consortium. Our low-volume bioreactor technology is well-suited for this innovative manufacturing process with its precision and control in manipulating reagents and fluids in small scales. By combining our technology with that our partners, we continue to contribute to the UK’s leadership position in global innovation in advanced therapies manufacturing.”
The EcoCAR collaboration underscores MFX’s commitment to sustainably advancing the field of cell and gene therapy by providing scientific expertise in bioreactor automation and cutting-edge technology.