Blue Cell Therapeutics has added experienced cell therapy executive Miguel Forte to its board as a non-executive director, strengthening its leadership team as it advances its off-the-shelf stem cell treatments for severe erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The Copenhagen-based biotech is developing allogeneic stem cell therapies aimed at conditions where angiogenesis and nerve regeneration play a central role. It said Forte’s appointment brings additional scientific, clinical and operational insight at a time when the company is preparing for the next stage of development. The move follows the recent appointment of Olav Hellebø as board chair.

Forte currently serves as president and chair of the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy and has held senior roles across several private and public biotechs. His industry career spans operational leadership, regulatory work and company building across Europe and the US, including previous posts at Kiji Therapeutics, Bone Therapeutics, Zelluna Immunotherapy, TxCell, UCB and Nabi Pharmaceuticals. He has also held regulatory roles in Portugal and at the European Medicines Agency.

Blue Cell said its allogeneic approach aims to offer consistent, scalable therapies that can be supplied without the need for patient-specific cell sourcing. The company is focusing on indications in which regeneration of blood vessels and nerves could offer clinically meaningful benefits. Severe erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension both involve underlying vascular and tissue damage that current treatments struggle to address.

Forte said: “Blue Cell Therapeutics has a clear vision of how to develop allogeneic stem cell treatments to address significant unmet medical needs, which are not only clinically effective, but can also be manufactured at scale. I believe my clinical, regulatory, and managerial experience will complement and strengthen the company’s board, and help Blue Cell as it progresses and seeks to commercialise its exciting technology.”

Søren Sheikh, chief executive of Blue Cell Therapeutics, said: “Miguel’s deep scientific knowledge of cell therapy, combined with his extensive experience leading biotechs, gives him a rare business acumen which will be invaluable to Blue Cell Therapeutics. We look forward to working together to drive forward our mission of developing curative, off-the-shelf stem cell treatments for severe erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension.”

Forte joins the board with immediate effect.