GATES BIOMANUFACTURING FACILITY SUCCEEDS BOUND BY SHARED GOALS
We’ve come a long way from a concrete slab and some equipment in 2015. A few entrepreneurial scientists were willing to jump in and build a facility, technology platforms, and a Phase I clinical trial Quality system that can launch clinical trials. This accomplishment is not trivial – biotech companies are hesitant to be the first customers in a new facility. Our ability to attract and retain clients is a tribute to the technical aptitude, hard work, and customer service our employees provide. Both the protein and cell therapy groups had multiple 4 a.m. mornings safely getting the therapies out of the door in those early days. It’s great to see that we are now producing four-to-six products monthly with a fully trained staff of 50. The Gates Biomanufacturing Facility (GBF) staff deserve a tremendous amount of credit for all this and for achieving its five-year vision of translating life-saving University of Colorado technologies into clinical trials – all during a world-wide pandemic. ~Gates Biomanufacturing Facility Executive Director Matt Seefeldt, Ph.D.
Determination is in the filtered air at the GBF. Also, the smell of pride and sterile Isopropanol are noticeable everywhere. Over the past year, the GBF team continued its life-saving work despite many challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2020, there wasn’t a conference room available anywhere in the building – nor an idle moment. The GBF was supporting manufacturing for ongoing Phase I clinical trials and developing new processes rapidly. Straight ahead was the direction, and full throttle was the speed. As the pandemic took hold in March, however, many project plans were upended and any sense of normalcy disrupted. Driven by duty, the urgency of the need, and scientific curiosity, GBF team members pressed forward and progress didn’t miss a beat. Deemed essential workers, the GBF team continued to work on-site with proactive leadership and the finest HVAC system around, refusing to cede hard-won momentum to the virus. It was a year of growth and change for the GBF, as the facility
significantly expanded its footprint from 14,000 to 20,000 square feet in Bioscience 1 across the street from campus. The facility also expanded its headcount to 50 members despite a difficult hiring environment, and these new professionals provided fresh perspectives and abundant talent. In 2020, the GBF was further reorganized to move under the direction of the CU Anschutz Chancellor rather than the School of Medicine. This change in direction was important in providing more operational flexibility and greater coordination between the GBF and partner organizations on the CU Anschutz campus. Additionally, Matt Seefeldt, Ph.D., who joined the GBF management team in 2014 prior to the facility’s opening in 2015, was elevated to Executive Director, and Charles Hickey MBA, was brought on as the new Director of Finance and Administration (see page 62). Despite unprecedented pandemic challenges throughout the year, GBF leadership was able to grow the influence of the organization in multiple dimensions (and keep everyone
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