Terumo BCT and PwC Belgium Join Forces to Break Barriers in Access to Advanced Cell and Gene Therapies

PwC Belgium brings deep healthcare systems expertise and an expansive network of public and private stakeholders to the initiative. Combined with Terumo BCT’s technological innovation and operational insights in the field of cell and gene therapy, the collaboration is poised to generate actionable impact across the value chain — from manufacturing and logistics to pricing, reimbursement and patient pathways.

“By joining forces with PwC Belgium, we are building a platform for meaningful change,” said Veerle D’Haenens, General Manager, Global Therapy Innovations at Terumo BCT. “This collaboration aims to move beyond discussion and toward concrete, system-level solutions that ensure more patients can access the therapies they need, starting in Europe, where the need is urgent.”

“Our shared vision is to align stakeholders across the care ecosystem in a more agile, integrated approach,” said Jan Debaere, Partner, Health Industries, PwC Belgium. “This is the beginning of what we hope to be a long-term commitment to unlocking access for patients, starting in Europe and expanding from there.”

Despite major advances in ATMPs such as CAR-T cell and gene therapies, access in Europe remains limited, with only 20% to 30% of eligible patients receiving treatment.1-5 Barriers include constrained treatment capacity, fragmented funding and reimbursement systems, complex logistics and limited awareness in underserved areas. This event is being hosted in Europe, where these challenges are most acute, with a clear ambition to expand its impact globally.

Flagship Event: Brussels, December 11, 2025

The first major milestone of this collaboration will be a landmark event titled “Unlocking patient access to advanced cell therapies.”

The event will take place on December 11, 2025, at PwC Belgium’s headquarters in Diegem, Brussels, and is designed to convene senior leaders from across the healthcare spectrum — from R&D and manufacturing to regulators, payers and patient advocates.

Structured around a series of TED-style talks and a high-level panel discussion, the event will explore the root causes of restricted access to ATMPs and spotlight innovative models of collaboration. Key topics include:

■Emerging investment models for ATMPs

■Innovations in manufacturing and logistics

■Market access, reimbursement and pricing strategies

■Cross-border patient access and real-world evidence generation

The event also aims to serve as the catalyst for a multi-stakeholder ATMP access consortium. This consortium is expected to formally take shape in early 2026, with a mission to coordinate action, share best practices and support pilot programs aimed at improving ATMP accessibility across markets.

Outcomes and next steps from the event will be published and shared in the weeks following the meeting, helping to ensure that the dialogue in Brussels translates into measurable progress.

“We hope this is the beginning of meaningful action,” added D’Haenens. “Our aim is to evolve this collaboration into a global movement to ensure cell and gene therapies reach the patients who need them, wherever they are.”

Stakeholders interested in joining this event are encouraged to register via: https://www.pwc.be/en/events-courses/2025/breaking-barriers-to-improve-access-to-atmps.html

References

1. Jommi C, Bramanti S, Pani M, Ghirardini A, Santoro A. CAR T-cell therapies in italy: patient access barriers and recommendations for health system solutions. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:915342. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.915342

2. Kamal-Bahl S, Puckett JT, Bagchi I, Miller-Sonet E, Huntington SF. Barriers and solutions to improve access for chimeric antigen receptor therapies. Immunotherapy. 2022;14(9):741-753. doi:10.2217/imt-2022-0037

3. Kansagra A, Farnia S, Majhail N. Expanding access to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies: challenges and opportunities. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2020;40:1-8. doi:10.1200/EDBK_279151

4. Sanchez-Guijo F, Vives J, Ruggeri A, et al. Current challenges in cell and gene therapy: a joint view from the European Committee of the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT). Cytotherapy. 2024;26(7):681-685. doi:10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.02.007

5. Sainatham C, Yadav D, Dilli Babu A, et al. The current socioeconomic and regulatory landscape of immune effector cell therapies. Front Med (Lausanne). 2024;11:1462307. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1462307