Research projects the global cell therapy manufacturing market will surpass $7 billion in 2026 and reach $14 billion by 2035, and the FDA has introduced new flexibility for cell and gene therapy manufacturing intended to accelerate approval timelines. Industry observers identify tight biologics capacity as a defining bottleneck for 2026, making scalable GMP manufacturing a central strategic asset for developers.
Avaí Bio and joint venture partner Austrianova have begun manufacturing a master cell bank of genetically modified cells engineered to produce high levels of the alpha-Klotho protein. The master cell bank will supply a working cell bank and feed into Austrianova’s Cell-in-a-Box encapsulation platform, which is intended to produce a therapy that restores circulating Klotho levels.
The work is being advanced through Klothonova, a Nevada-based equal-partnership joint venture formed last September, and preparatory activities for the master cell bank were completed in February. Avaí Bio recently rebranded from Avant Technologies and is focusing on sourcing, developing and protecting advanced cellular therapies through joint ventures and licensing, framing manufacturing capability as a near-term value driver.
