Spotlight: De-risking MSC scale-up: 4 Platform strategies from R&D to stem cell production

Scaling MSC manufacturing remains a major challenge in cell therapy development, particularly as processes move from early research into clinical and commercial production. This presentation reviews four platform strategies for MSC expansion — planar static systems, multilayer vessels, microcarrier-based stirred bioreactors, and fixed-bed/intensified adherent systems — and compares their suitability across different stages of development. The session will discuss scale-up versus scale-out considerations, key tradeoffs in scalability and process control, and practical ways to de-risk transfer from R&D to production. Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for selecting fit-for-purpose MSC expansion platforms and designing more robust manufacturing workflows.