194: Viral Vector CDMO Mastery: Singapore's Answer to Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Shortages with Lucas Chan - Part 2

What if the future of affordable, life-changing cell and gene therapies comes down to one critical yet often overlooked factor: manufacturing efficiency?

In advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), groundbreaking science abounds, but the path to the clinic is still strewn with bottlenecks, especially when it comes to cost, complexity, and safety. While the promise is enormous, most therapies remain out of reach for many patients due to high cost of goods and logistical hurdles. What can actually break down these barriers and democratize access?

In this episode, David Brühlmann welcomes Lucas Chan, celebrated Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, advisor to Singapore's Ministry of Health, and a true pioneer in viral vector manufacturing. In Singapore, he founded CellVec Pte Ltd – APAC’s first regulatory accredited Viral Vector specialist CDMO.

Lucas's leadership spans founding ventures in emerging markets to championing game-changing innovations in gene transfer, always with an eye toward efficiency, safety, and accessibility. Having returned “back to the bench” in collaboration with the National University of Singapore while launching his consultancy, Lucas brings both visionary perspective and hands-on experience to one of biotech’s toughest challenges.

Here are three reasons why you need to listen to this episode:

• Efficiency is Everything: Lucas dissects how complex processes and outdated manufacturing paradigms are driving up the cost of cell and gene therapies and shares real-world advances, from transitioning viral vector production to stable producer cell lines to the emergence of non-viral gene transfer modalities, that are poised to rewrite the rulebook on scalability and affordability.
• Leadership Amid Complexity: Learn from Lucas’s top leadership advice drawn from his CSO and CDMO tenure: inspire teams by connecting every task to the larger mission. In a multidisciplinary, high-stakes environment, alignment and motivation aren’t just nice, they’re essential for innovation.
• Entrepreneurship and Community: Thinking of turning your biotech expertise into a startup? Lucas underscores the value of learning from others’ journeys, collaboration, and the insight that “it takes a village” when translating advanced therapies from bench to bedside, especially in emerging markets with unique affordability challenges.

Want to transform your approach to cell and gene therapy manufacturing or just need inspiration to push your biotech project to the next level?

Tune into this episode for practical insights, candid leadership lessons, and a renewed sense of what’s possible when we challenge the status quo together.

Connect with Lucas Chan:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lucaschangt

Next step:

Book a 20-minute call to help you get started on any questions you may have about bioprocessing analytics: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call

Preparing for your IND? We’re building a CMC Dashboard in Excel to help biotech founders track tasks, timelines, and risks in one place. Join the waitlist for early access at https://scale-your-impact.notion.site/27dd9c6ba679804b80a7ce439d56c91a?pvs=105

One bad CDMO decision can cost you two years and your Series A. If you're navigating tech transfer, CDMO selection, or IND prep, let's talk before it gets expensive. Two slots open this month.

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