How Alloplex is embedding whole-of-therapy affordability into its advanced cellular therapy science.
I read with particular interest the recent report on Lumen Bioscience’s efforts to dramatically reduce the manufacturing cost of monoclonal antibodies — from the typical $100–$200 per gram down to about 10 cents. Their CEO described the goal as giving biologics “the scalability and cost profile of a small-molecule drug.” It is an impressive technical achievement and a reminder that cost matters as much as biology when it comes to real patient impact.
Prices for approved therapies often start around $500,000 for a single course of a cell therapy and can exceed $2 million for gene therapies. These figures often understate the total whole-of-therapy cost: real-world delivery requires hospitals to provide additional supportive services, infrastructure, and monitoring that are not always reimbursed fully. Analyses show that for CAR-T therapy, these ancillary utilization costs can push total per-patient costs toward $1 million, even when the therapy itself is covered. (Targeted Oncology, Bringing CAR T-cell therapies to community oncology practices)
At Alloplex, I recognized early that the future of cellular medicine would be determined as much by economics as by biology. With SUPLEXA, we built whole-of-therapy affordability into the platform — considering not only production costs but also the hospital-provided services and other ancillary costs associated with treatment:
These design decisions make SUPLEXA safer, more accessible, and usable earlier in disease — when cellular interventions are likely to be most effective — rather than waiting until patients are end-stage or must endure toxic pre-treatments.
Looking ahead, I have developed a concept that may enable a further substantial reduction in manufacturing costs. Experiments are planned for later this year, and if successful, I anticipate sharing a formal update in the first quarter of 2026. While the outcome is not yet known, the potential implications for patient access are significant.
The central question for the field is no longer solely “which gene edit or cell engineering approach is best?” It is: “Who will solve the affordability problem?” Therapies that truly transform outcomes are those patients can actually access.
At Alloplex, I have been committed to embedding whole-of-therapy affordability from the outset. Scientific breakthroughs are only meaningful if patients who need them can benefit.
I welcome discussion with colleagues, payers, policymakers and the press on practical strategies to ensure advanced cell and gene therapies reach the patients who need them most.
— Frank Borriello, MD, PhD
CEO and Scientific Founder, Alloplex Biotherapeutics Inc.
References:
Targeted Oncology: Bringing CAR T-cell therapies to community oncology practices
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