Vitalant has launched a national hub-and-spoke model to expand patient access to cell and gene therapies, anchored by customized service hubs in Phoenix, Denver, and New Jersey, with additional services in Pittsburgh and Chicago under development. Each hub offers core apheresis collections, baseline testing, cell processing, short-term storage, and preparation of final products for clinical use.

Since the first FDA-approved cell and gene therapies in 2017, only around 20% of eligible patients have received treatment, largely due to timing constraints, limited clinical capacity, and geographic barriers. Vitalant’s new model leverages its existing nationwide infrastructure and clinical expertise to address these challenges.

“Cell and gene therapies are crucial for very ill patients, but patient access is a significant barrier,” said Becky Cap, senior vice president of biotherapies at Vitalant. “By leveraging our community infrastructure and presence built over decades, we are helping ensure these therapies are available at the right time and place with the right product for the right patient.”

Each Service Hub is tailored to local community needs while maintaining the ability to serve more remote regions. HLA testing is available at multiple hubs, with Phoenix as the largest site. Investigative and diagnostic testing is concentrated in Phoenix and Pittsburgh, with Denver coming online soon. Vitalant is also exploring additional locations based on demand from healthcare and industry partners.

Vitalant operates a network of 20 apheresis centres, with licensed nurses providing high-quality care for donors and patients. The company has the capacity to expand to 115 locations nationwide and maintains relationships with over 900 hospitals, enabling it to bring critical services closer to patients.

The Service Hub model includes mobile support, with licensed apheresis nurses travelling under COMPACT licences to assist hospitals in scaling programs or establishing new ones. A recent collaboration with UPMC illustrates this approach, with Kevin Land, M.D., executive medical director for biotherapies, serving as interim medical director for UPMC’s Hematopoietic Stem Cell Lab.

Cap added: “This expanded national footprint represents a vital resource for patients who might otherwise face delays or be unable to receive therapy, for therapeutic developers aiming to reach more patients, and for hospitals seeking better options. By increasing access points across the country, Vitalant helps patients receive treatment closer to home, reducing travel burdens and keeping them near support networks.”