Founding of the Coalition of International Gene Therapy Societies

In May, the Coalition of International Gene Therapy Societies met for the very first time. This newly formed group is made up of the leadership of several gene therapy societies including: 

• American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy 

• Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society   

• Brazilian Association of Cell and Gene Therapy 

• European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy 

• Japanese Society of Gene and Cell Therapy 

The Coalition aims to promote collaboration and alliances among the gene therapy societies for more impactful results and reduced duplication of efforts. Many of the member societies already plan joint programming.  

In the first meeting, members agreed that the Coalition should aim to use the voice of all the societies to effect positive change for the entire field. The Coalition will support access to gene therapies for patients around the world by working toward two goals: 

• Furthering regulatory and legislative pathways to aid in the approvals of gene therapies in all countries

• Developing coordinated education and training, especially for younger researchers

The societies will facilitate interactions between labs to offer more training opportunities for younger professionals. This effort will include all regions, particularly trainees in countries with limited access to resources. Online learning will help make new connections without the burden of international travel. The Coalition goals are intertwined, as increasing the number of trained professionals will further regulatory convergence on a global scale.

In all countries, there are regulatory challenges in the development of gene therapies. The coalition will push for regulatory convergence by bringing regulators, industry, and academics together. Understanding development challenges, identifying similarities and differences, and sharing lessons learned will expediate development everywhere. Beyond the member societies, the Coalition would like to involve regulators and other stakeholders in China, India, and many other countries.

The development of successful gene therapies is a global effort, and the coalition intends to highlight this through a variety of upcoming programming.

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