AUTHOR=Piemonti Lorenzo , Scholz Hanne , de Jongh Dide , Kerr-Conte Julie , van Apeldoorn Aart , Shaw James A. M. , Engelse Marten A. , Bunnik Eline , Mühlemann Markus , Pal-Kutas Karolina , Scott William E. , Magalon Jérémy , Kugelmeier Patrick , Berishvili Ekaterine TITLE=The Relevance of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products in the Field of Transplantation and the Need for Academic Research Access: Overcoming Bottlenecks and Claiming a New Time JOURNAL=Transplant International VOLUME=36 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/transplant-international/articles/10.3389/ti.2023.11633 DOI=10.3389/ti.2023.11633 ISSN=1432-2277 ABSTRACT=

The field of transplantation has witnessed the emergence of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) as highly promising solutions to address the challenges associated with organ and tissue transplantation. ATMPs encompass gene therapy, cell therapy, and tissue-engineered products, hold immense potential for breakthroughs in overcoming the obstacles of rejection and the limited availability of donor organs. However, the development and academic research access to ATMPs face significant bottlenecks that hinder progress. This opinion paper emphasizes the importance of addressing bottlenecks in the development and academic research access to ATMPs by implementing several key strategies. These include the establishment of streamlined regulatory processes, securing increased funding for ATMP research, fostering collaborations and partnerships, setting up centralized ATMP facilities, and actively engaging with patient groups. Advocacy at the policy level is essential to provide support for the development and accessibility of ATMPs, thereby driving advancements in transplantation and enhancing patient outcomes. By adopting these strategies, the field of transplantation can pave the way for the introduction of innovative and efficacious ATMP therapies, while simultaneously fostering a nurturing environment for academic research.