Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) are opening new possibilities for patients with cancer, rare diseases, blood disorders, and autoimmune conditions. As these groundbreaking therapies move toward broader adoption, the healthcare community has an opportunity to strengthen the donor and collection infrastructure that helps make them possible.
In a new collaborative article, leaders from BioBridge Global, America’s Blood Centers, Vitalant, and Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies discuss how strategic partnerships, community engagement, and forward-thinking infrastructure investments can help ensure access keeps pace with scientific progress.
Why Is There a Shortage of CGT Starting Material?
The challenge is not a sudden crisis. It is the result of long-term trends converging at the same time.
Several factors are driving the supply gap:
An Aging Donor Population
Many blood centers continue to rely heavily on donors over the age of 50. While these donors remain essential, younger donor participation has not kept pace with future demand.
The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted recruitment efforts among younger generations, creating a gap that blood centers are still working to rebuild.
Expanding Demand for Advanced Therapies
CGTs are moving beyond rare diseases and oncology into much larger patient populations.
Autoimmune indications, for example, could dramatically increase demand for cellular starting materials. At the same time, CAR-T therapies are being used earlier in treatment pathways, expanding the number of eligible patients.
Increased Need for Specialized Collections
Many advanced therapies require highly specific donor profiles and collection procedures.
Patients with conditions such as sickle cell disease may require multiple blood support interventions, including red cell exchanges and specialized cell collections, before therapy manufacturing can begin.
This creates additional pressure on an already constrained donor ecosystem.
Why Are Blood Centers Essential to the Future of Cell Therapy?
Blood centers serve as the operational backbone of donor recruitment, collection, testing, processing, and distribution.
Over decades, they have developed infrastructure capable of supporting complex biological collections at scale.
Today, blood centers are expanding their role to meet the needs of advanced therapies through:
- Mobile leukapheresis programs
- Decentralized collection networks
- Hub-and-spoke operating models
- Specialized donor recruitment initiatives
- Rare donor identification programs
- Expanded apheresis capabilities
These investments help bring collection services closer to patients and donors while maintaining quality and regulatory compliance.
How Can the Industry Increase Access to Donors?
Growing the donor base requires a combination of innovation, education, and community engagement.
Successful strategies include:
- Reaching Younger Donors
- Blood centers are increasingly using:
- Digital-first outreach
- Hyperlocal social media campaigns
- Mobile scheduling platforms
- Community-based collection programs
These approaches help engage younger generations who may not respond to traditional donor recruitment methods.
Read the full article to learn how collaboration across the blood, biotherapies, and cell and gene therapy ecosystem is helping build a stronger foundation for the future of medicine.
This article was contributed by Adrienne Mendoza, Chief Operating Officer of BBG Advanced Therapies and Senior Vice President of BioBridge Global; Kate Fry, President and CEO of America’s Blood Centers; Joy Duemke, Global Executive at Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT); and Brianna Schoen, Vice President of Scientific Development at Vitalant.
