CGT Catapult

What CGT Catapult does

CGT Catapult (Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult) is an independent, non-profit UK innovation and technology organization established in 2012 as part of the Innovate UK Catapult Network. It functions as the sector's central infrastructure and de-risking body, providing GMP manufacturing, technology validation, regulatory strategy, health economics, and clinical adoption support to cell and gene therapy developers, academic researchers, and NHS healthcare providers. Its mandate is to catalyse and facilitate growth in the UK Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) sector.

Its technical core spans cell therapy process development (autologous, allogeneic, CAR-T, iPSC), gene therapy manufacturing (proprietary GMP-ready HEK293 suspension cell line for rAAV production, lentiviral and AAV perfusion platforms), digital and automation innovation (Process Analytical Technologies laboratory, digital twin modelling, e-batch records, Constellation robotics platform), and adaptive GMP cleanrooms at Stevenage, London, Braintree, and Edinburgh. It also coordinates the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres (ATTC) network, providing NHS adoption pathways, and runs the ATAC apprenticeship programme with dedicated Skills and Training Laboratories.

CGT Catapult operates a hybrid revenue model: £60.3 million of total income in FY ending March 2025, split between Innovate UK core grant (£16.0M), third-party grant funding from UKRI and NIHR (£28.0M), and industrial income from collaborative manufacturing, technology validation, and project services (£16.3M). The organization engages in 127 collaborative projects annually with 70+ companies (60% UK SMEs), 27 university partners, and 21 international commercial collaborators, and has deployed direct equity through the Innovate UK Cross-Catapult Investment Pilot. It has two wholly owned operating subsidiaries (Cell Therapy Catapult Services Ltd. and CGTC Manufacturing Innovation Centre Ltd.) and operates MHRA-licensed facilities, giving it a unique position bridging regulatory authorities, NHS, industry, and academia.

Name

CGT Catapult

Legal name

Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

Website

https://ct.catapult.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

CGT Catapult is a UK government-backed, non-profit innovation centre established in 2012 that provides GMP manufacturing, technology validation, regulatory, and NHS adoption support to cell and gene therapy developers, academic researchers, and SMEs across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Development and Manufacturing Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Potency API (HPAPI) Development & Manufacturing (HLAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Cell therapy development
• Gene therapy manufacturing
• ATMP commercialisation services
• GMP bioprocess support
• Viral vector manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Innovate UK Core Grant Funding: Core grant funding from Innovate UK as part of the Catapult Network. In 2024/25, this totalled £16,000,000. This funding supports the organization's mandate to catalyse and facilitate growth in the cell and gene therapy industry.
2. Third-Party Grant Funding: Grant funding from third parties including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and other public funding bodies. In 2024/25, this totalled £28,000,000, supporting collaborative R&D projects and the ATTC network.
3. Industrial Income / Collaborative Services: Income from industry collaborators for GMP manufacturing, technology validation, consulting, and project-based collaborations. In 2024/25, industrial income totalled £16,300,000. This covers technology transfer, process development, analytical services, and manufacturing support provided to biotech and pharma companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CGT Catapult is an independent innovation and technology organisation that collaborates with therapy developers, academia, regulators and the NHS to advance Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs). It provides technical de-risking, GMP manufacturing services, process and analytical development, technology validation through its Digital and Automation Testbeds, regulatory and market access advisory, and direct investment support for early-stage cell and gene therapy companies.

Product overview

CGT Catapult offers a comprehensive suite of capabilities for the cell and gene therapy industry, functioning as an innovation and technology organization rather than a product company per se. Their offering spans across the ATMP development lifecycle through dedicated facilities and specialized services including cell therapy development, gene therapy manufacturing (with a focus on viral vectors like AAV and lentiviral platforms), automation and digital innovation (encompassing Process Analytical Technologies, digital twins, and electronic batch records), GMP manufacturing through their Manufacturing Innovation Centres, and skills/training provision. The core infrastructure includes Digital and Automation Testbeds for technology validation, a PAT Laboratory for real-time monitoring, Process and Analytical Development Laboratories, and Skills and Training Laboratories. Key technological assets include a proprietary GMP-ready HEK293 suspension cell line for rAAV production and perfusion-based continuous bioprocessing platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cell Therapies Capability A development service for cell therapy developers covering starting material selection, cell engineering, manufacturing scale-up and analytical development for autologous, CAR-T and pluripotent stem cell-derived cell therapy products in GMP-compliant processes.
• Gene Therapies Capability A development service supporting viral vector and non-viral gene therapy programmes, including gene delivery, cell line development, manufacturing innovation and analytical development, with a focus on rAAV production.
• Automation Capability Automation services covering technical de-risking, robotics and automation integration, and advanced analytics to enable partners to scale ATMP manufacturing processes.
• Digital Innovation Capability Digital services including Process Analytical Technologies (PAT), process modelling, and digital connectivity solutions to enhance manufacturing efficiency, precision and scalability for advanced therapies.
• Manufacturing Innovation Capability Adaptive GMP cleanrooms and manufacturing services supporting development and large-scale production of autologous cell, allogeneic cell and viral vector manufacturing processes with full technology transfer support.
• Skills and Training Capability Laboratory facilities and programmes providing GMP-oriented upskilling and capability solutions ranging from fundamental lab skills to advanced bioprocessing techniques, including VR/AR technology-enhanced training via the Life Sciences Learner Hub and ATAC apprenticeship programme.
• Integrated Non-clinical, Regulatory and Market Access Strategy Comprehensive support covering regulatory affairs, health economics, non-clinical safety assessment and market access strategy for ATMP development and commercialisation, with active collaboration with MHRA and NICE.
• Supporting Spin-outs, Start-ups and Sector Investment Support programme for academics and early-stage companies including investment readiness, technical de-risking, in-kind support for UK university researchers, and direct equity investments through the Innovate UK Cross-Catapult Investment Pilot.
• ATTC Network (Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres) Coordinated network of NHS treatment centres and supporting infrastructure dedicated to improving patient access to ATMPs across the UK, with a £17.9m strategic initiative funded by NIHR and supported by Innovate UK.
• Digital and Automation Testbeds A unique GMP-mirroring facility at the Stevenage site enabling de-risked and accelerated testing, validation and adoption of next-generation technologies for ATMP manufacture at scale in a collaborative real-world environment.
• Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) Laboratory A 100m² digitally-enabled laboratory service providing real-time analytical monitoring and control of advanced therapy manufacturing processes using in-line and at-line monitoring equipment together with a multi-omics approach (Raman spectroscopy, variable pathlength UV-Vis, holographic imaging, electrical impedance sensing).
• CGT Catapult HEK293 Suspension Cell Line A proprietary GMP-ready HEK293 suspension cell line licensed for robust recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) manufacture, demonstrating comparable productivity to commercially available lines with increased operational freedom at reduced cost, with clear license structures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Quality assurance review effort reduced by 65% and 90% error reduction per batch using Autolomous electronic batch management system
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• King's College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026King's College London spun out Korecyte Bio Ltd with investment and support from CGT Catapult through the Innovate UK Cross-Catapult Investment Pilot, advancing a novel CAR-T platform (HypoxiCAR) for solid tumours.
• MinariscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Minaris and CGT Catapult announced a collaboration to develop delivery technologies for cell and gene therapies, focusing on viral vector platforms including lentiviral (LV) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. Minaris relocated its viral vector innovation center to CGT Catapult's collaborator laboratories in London to jointly advance lentiviral assay development and manufacturing processes. The partnership aims to improve productivity, safety, and performance of viral vector platforms while lowering cost of goods for advanced therapy product developers.
• Cellular OriginscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025Cellular Origins won the Innovation award in the Manufacturing Automation category at the 2025 Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Awards for its Constellation ecosystem—a robotics-driven platform connecting mobile robots with established bioprocess instruments. The platform is being deployed at CGT Catapult's Digital and Automation Testbeds in Stevenage to demonstrate production scaling from thousands to tens or hundreds of thousands of doses annually while maintaining process consistency.
• Resolution TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025Resolution Therapeutics is part of a consortium with Cellular Origins and CGT Catapult to deliver a fully automated, robotically-operated CGT manufacturing platform, forming part of an Innovate UK-funded consortium advancing fully-automated cell and gene therapy manufacturing.
• MytoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025Mytos, a London-based biotech, launched its automated CDMO for scalable, low-cost manufacturing of stem-cell derived therapies at CGT Catapult's Stevenage Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The facility powered by Mytos' iDEM automation technology targets clinical readiness by September 2026, with capacity for up to 1,500 autologous doses or 25,000 allogeneic doses annually. This is the first of several planned global sites.
• Pharmaron BiologicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025A two-year collaborative project with Pharmaron Biologics and Complement Therapeutics intensifying perfusion processes to standardize and scale AAV manufacturing for systemic diseases, as part of CGT Catapult's broader initiative to develop multiple technological solutions to address yield and purity challenges in AAV-based gene therapy production.
• Complement TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025A two-year collaborative project with Pharmaron Biologics and CGT Catapult intensifying perfusion processes to standardize and scale AAV manufacturing for systemic diseases, contributing to Complement Therapeutics' journey from university spin-out to clinical-stage gene therapy company.
• Autolomous LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2023CGT Catapult and Autolomous Ltd received a £1.2 million grant from UK Research and Innovation to fund a project digitising Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The project aimed to enhance manufacturing productivity, support rapid product release, and reduce costs at CGT Catapult's Braintree industrial facility. A case study demonstrated that transitioning to Autolomous's electronic batch management system reduced quality assurance review effort by 65% and achieved 90% error reduction per batch.
• National Health Service (NHS) EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGT Catapult coordinates the ATTC network, operating within the NHS framework dedicated to improving patient access to ATMPs across the UK. Established in 2018 with UKRI funding, the network develops systems and procedures to introduce ATMPs into clinic and standard of care. The network focuses on accelerating ATMP clinical trials under a £17.9m strategic initiative funded by NIHR and supported by Innovate UK.
• ELRIG (European Laboratory Research & Innovation Group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerELRIG announced CGT Catapult's CTO Dr Stephen Ward as a keynote speaker at the Cell and Gene Therapy 2026 conference in Cambridge, facilitating industry knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPESP Week London brought together researchers from São Paulo and the UK to strengthen scientific collaboration, with visits to key UK innovation hubs including CGT Catapult alongside Genomics England, as part of FAPESP's efforts to increase joint research proposals.
• Purespring TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial work with CGT Catapult led to Purespring Therapeutics being awarded £45m from Syncona, demonstrating CGT Catapult's role in supporting spin-outs to secure significant investment.
• MHRAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGT Catapult works with MHRA as a trusted intermediary, supporting the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP), participating in public consultations on regulatory frameworks for rare disease therapies, and operating MHRA-licensed manufacturing facilities.
• NICEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGT Catapult collaborates with NICE on health economics, market access, and reimbursement strategies, including supporting outcomes-based reimbursement frameworks for cell and gene therapies in the UK.
• Cell Therapy Catapult Services Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CGT Catapult's operating subsidiaries providing specialized services in world-class manufacturing technology, regulatory affairs, health economics, NHS/market access, advanced skills and training, clinical operations, and non-clinical safety.
• CGTC Manufacturing Innovation Centre Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CGT Catapult's operating subsidiaries focused on manufacturing innovation and infrastructure supporting the development, production, and adoption of ATMPs across the UK.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CCRM (Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine): Canadian non-profit innovation hub accelerating development and commercialization of cell and gene therapies and regenerative medicine. Closely comparable mandate as a publicly-funded intermediary providing process development, GMP manufacturing, and regulatory support to therapy developers across academia and industry.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI): German government-backed applied research organisation operating GMP manufacturing facilities, process development, and ATMP-related services for cell and gene therapies. Comparable as a publicly-funded innovation centre offering translational and manufacturing services across the ATMP lifecycle.
• NIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals): US-based public-private partnership focused on advancing biopharmaceutical manufacturing innovation, including cell therapies. Comparable as a sector-level collaboration platform for process analytics, digitalisation, and workforce development in advanced therapies manufacturing.
• Centre for Process Innovation (CPI): UK Catapult Network sibling organisation providing process development, scale-up, and manufacturing facilities across biologics and advanced therapies. Direct comparable as a publicly-funded innovation centre with GMP facilities, process development, and industry collaboration model.
• Oxford BioMedica: UK-based cell and gene therapy CDMO specialising in lentiviral vector development and GMP manufacturing. Directly comparable as a UK-headquartered provider of viral vector process development and manufacturing services for ATMP developers.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza Cell & Gene Technologies: Global commercial CDMO with a major cell and gene therapy manufacturing services division offering viral vector and cell therapy process development and GMP production. Comparable as a provider of ATMP manufacturing services, though for-profit and far larger in commercial scale.
• Catalent (Cell Therapy): Global CDMO with cell therapy development and GMP manufacturing services for autologous and allogeneic cell therapies. Comparable as a commercial-scale ATMP manufacturing services provider, though CGT Catapult's mandate and infrastructure shape differ as a non-profit.
• Charles River Laboratories (Cell & Gene Therapy): Global CRO/CDMO offering cell and gene therapy manufacturing, viral vector production, and process development services via its Cobra Biologics acquisition. Comparable as a major commercial CDMO in the ATMP manufacturing services market.

Emerging players

• AGC Biologics: Global biopharmaceutical CDMO with cell and gene therapy capabilities including viral vector and cell therapy manufacturing. Comparable as a commercial provider in the ATMP manufacturing services market, with overlapping focus on AAV and lentiviral platforms.

Others

• ISCT (International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy): Global professional society focused on translation of cell and gene therapies, providing standards, training, and policy advocacy. Comparable as an ecosystem organisation serving the cell and gene therapy sector with workforce, regulatory, and translational mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2932117
• Xx.com/ctcatapult

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CGT Catapult