“We wanted to become part of the ATMP cluster that already existed in the area.”

Mathias Svahn settles into his desk chair. This Friday is filled with meetings, but he has managed to make room for this interview. It’s no wonder Mathias is busy, the other day they announced that NextCell is launching its second subsidiary QVance, just in time for its tenth anniversary.

How did it all begin ten years ago? 

– It started as a project twelve years ago in one of the co-founders’ meeting rooms in the housing cooperative. We sat there late at night, crafting a business plan and seeking approval for the Cellaviva stem cell bank. After securing financing and obtaining tissue establishment permits, we founded the company on March 19, 2014.

According to Mathias, to manufacture cell therapies, you need access to starting materials, ensure logistical quality, and build infrastructure to handle these types of cells. That was their starting point.

– From the stem cell bank, we could generate early revenue and start driving drug development. We put together a business plan with KI Innovations and found investors. That was the starting point, says Mathias Svahn.

Creating a Safer Future 

But it actually started earlier than that. In 2006 Mathias’s first child was born, but at that time there was no opportunity to store stem cells during childbirth. Mathias had to ask some lab colleagues for advice and quickly make his way from the delivery room to the lab to prepare the blood over the next 8 hours, while his wife and daughter were admitted to the patient hotel.

– By saving stem cells, you can create a safer future for entire families. It’s an asset to have young, viable cells frozen from birth because they can be future building blocks. In this way, we are also contributing to the development of new treatments, explains Mathias.

How did you end up in Flemingsberg?   

– One of our founders had his research here and some of the founders have also been involved in other development companies from Karolinska, and therefore had their offices here. It was a conscious choice to choose the Novum building because the Vecura production unit is located there. In addition, we wanted to become part of the ATMP cluster that already existed in the area.

What does Flemingsberg mean to you?

– For us, the proximity to Karolinska University Hospital is important because we do umbilical cord tissue collection from the maternity clinic. In addition, we have conducted clinical trials at the hospital. This absolute proximity was something we considered when choosing the location.

– We have also benefited from the cluster of competences, as we have had exchanges of discussions and have taken help from people who have worked at Vecura, among others. There is great value in being in the same place.

– But it’s not just the expertise that’s here, sometimes you just want to have a coffee with people who are doing the same thing so you can complain about how hard everything is, haha. Here you have a context, the research is here, the patients are here and the manufacturing is here. It’s a very good place to be. – Mathias Svahn.

QVance is the Next Step in the Success Story 

After building the infrastructure and logistics through Cellaviva, developing drugs for type 1 diabetes, and five ongoing or completed clinical trials, it was time to take the next step in the success story. NextCell started building its own GMP facility, i.e. manufacturing unit dedicated to producing phase 3 materials.

– To avoid having to send our analyses to other countries, we decided to create our own production unit. We’ve taken the plunge and dismantled our quality department and turned it into a new company.

– Now we buy the services from the subsidiary and at the same time we can also offer the rest of the community in Flemingsberg the same type of services. With our strong network within ATMP and our established position, we feel confident in launching QVance on the market, Mathias continues.

A Milestone in the Company’s History 

In this time, NextCell has delivered five clinical trials and two subsidiaries. They have also, through Nextcell Pharma, managed to demonstrate that diabetes, among other things, can be stopped for one year. How does it feel Mathias?

– It feels very good. We have great data, and it’s a super exciting time to enter into now. QVance and the ten-year mark will be a significant milestone in the company’s history.

Where do you see yourselves in another ten years? 

– Right now, a children’s study is underway, and in a couple of years, we expect complete study data from the 7-year-old and older age group. This study will enable the licensing of ProTrance for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, allowing us to explore other indications. In ten years, we expect ProTrance for type 1 diabetes to be approved. Then we expect to have ongoing clinical trial programs for at least five other indications, concludes Mathias.

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