• H2020
• Societal Challenges
• Health

A Welsh company has been awarded €420,000 by Horizon 2020 to participate in a groundbreaking cell therapy project.

TrakCel, which develops software and hardware for complex clinical trials within the regenerative medicine market, is to bring its expertise to an international project aimed at developing technology to improve the performance and safety of cellular cancer therapies and make Europe a global leader in its commercialisation.

If successful, the project could deliver a technological breakthrough that would change the way cancer is treated.

Welcoming the news, Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt said: “The Welsh Government is committed to increasing participation in the Horizon 2020 programme and has been providing support to organisations and businesses in Wales, including TrakCel, to access this funding, so I’m delighted that the company will benefit so much from participation in this important programme.

“It’s fantastic news that pioneering technology developed in Wales will be playing a key role in a European project with such groundbreaking potential. This is another positive example of the benefits of EU membership.”

TrakCel’s involvement in the project follows a recent Welsh Government investment of £125,000 (~€166,805) in business finance which supported the commercial rollout of the company’s pioneering cell tracking system software.

The software has since been adopted by GlaxoSmithKline and other leaders in the cell therapy industry, which has allowed the company to expand and create 20 new jobs at its base in Cardiff.

Dr Matthew Lakelin, TrakCel’s vice-president of scientific affairs, said: “Participating in this European project will give TrakCel access to some of Europe’s leading cell therapy developers and allow the company to integrate with cell therapy processing equipment.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the company to be at the forefront of innovation in technology for cellular therapies.”