Cell and gene therapy (CGT) is expected to grow exponentially through the end of the decade. According to the FDA, by 2025, the agency expects to approve between 10 and 20 cell and gene therapy products per year, indicating significant growth in the field as the pipeline of clinical trials matures and more therapies reach market approval. For cancers, rare diseases, and those previously considered hard-to-treat, CGT provides an avenue of hope.

Tracking cellular metabolism—the series of reactions that provide the energy required to sustain life—is a key component of process development for CGT products, as well as stem cell research. For the production of high-quality CGT products, it is essential to accurately assess cell growth and differentiation, and create an optimal cell culture environment.

For example, in cancer immunology, stem cell research and the development of cell-based manufacturing processes , understanding the metabolic state of cells is increasingly important for analyzing cell activation and disease. Additionally, the need for precise analysis of metabolic changes is crucial to support processes such as the transition from 2D cell culture techniques to more complex 3D cell culture methods, including organoids.

Conventional methods for evaluating cell metabolism require researchers to take periodic samples of the culture medium, which makes it difficult to monitor changes in cell conditions over time as the measurements are typically discrete data points. In addition, repeated sampling carries the risk of contamination, and reproducibility issues can occur in culture manipulation, as the standards for assessing cell states depend on the skill and experience of the researcher. Thus, researchers need a method to continuously monitor the state of cells based on objective and quantitative assessment indicators without the need for repeated, manual medium sampling or addition of specialized reagents

Real-time visualization of metabolic dynamics

That unanswered research need spawned the development of PHCbi’s live cell metabolic analyzer, LiCellMo*. LiCellMo helps overcome the previously mentioned challenges by providing uninterrupted, real-time insights into glucose and lactate metabolism, providing minute-by-minute data on metabolic pathways.

With LiCellMo, glucose and lactate concentrations in the medium are continuously measured by in-line sensors and can be analyzed based on the rate of change. This allows researchers to visualize previously unobservable changes in cells over time, giving a clearer picture of cell activity and metabolism. In addition, by continuously measuring the culture environment without repeated sampling, contamination risk is also reduced, and cells can be immediately available for additional assessments.

The live cell metabolic analyzer also enables direct evaluation of glycolysis, a biochemical pathway in which the body’s cells generate energy through glucose consumption and lactate production. This capability allows researchers to assess how drugs and different culture conditions influence cells and observe changes in the state of each cell over time, offering a deeper understanding of their metabolic profile.

The LiCellMo can be easily installed in a laboratory’s existing compatible CO2 incubator with no changes to the usual culturing environment, as the sensor module is the only proprietary consumable required for use.

By providing continuous and accurate metabolic data, LiCellMo enables researchers to make more informed decisions across diverse fields, including cancer, stem cells and drug development. At the rate cell and gene therapy R&D is growing, the analyzer is a valuable tool to continue pushing the field forward.

 

*LiCellMo is currently only available for purchase in the U.S. and Canada. For research and education use only, not for use in diagnostic procedures in the U.S. or Canada. This product has not been approved or cleared as a medical device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada