Terumo BCT and PwC Belgium Launch Initiative to Address Limited Access to Advanced Cell and Gene Therapies in Europe
Key Insights
Terumo BCT (search) and PwC Belgium (search) have formed a collaboration to tackle barriers limiting patient access to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), with only 20-30% of eligible patients currently receiving CAR-T and gene therapies.
The partnership will host a flagship event in Brussels on December 11, 2025, bringing together stakeholders from across the healthcare ecosystem to discuss solutions for manufacturing, logistics, pricing, and reimbursement challenges.
The initiative aims to establish a multi-stakeholder ATMP access consortium in early 2026 to coordinate action and support pilot programs for improving therapy accessibility across European markets.
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT (search)) and PwC Belgium (search) have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at addressing the significant barriers that limit patient access to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) across Europe. The partnership comes as industry data reveals that only 20-30% of eligible patients are currently receiving cutting-edge CAR-T cell and gene therapies, highlighting a critical gap in healthcare delivery.
The collaboration combines Terumo BCT (search)'s 60-year expertise in blood collection and processing with PwC Belgium (search)'s extensive network of public and private stakeholders and healthcare systems knowledge. Together, the companies plan to tackle systemic challenges across the entire ATMP value chain, from manufacturing and logistics to pricing, reimbursement, and patient pathways.
"By joining forces with PwC Belgium (search), we are building a platform for meaningful change," said Veerle D'Haenens, General Manager, Global Therapy Innovations at Terumo BCT (search). "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."
Current Access Challenges
Despite major advances in ATMPs, access in Europe remains severely constrained due to multiple interconnected barriers. These include limited treatment capacity, fragmented funding and reimbursement systems, complex logistics requirements, and insufficient awareness in underserved areas. The patient journey for advanced therapies involves complex manufacturing processes, particularly for autologous treatments where patients must remain at treatment centers while their cells are prepared for readministration.
Jan Debaere, Partner, Health Industries at PwC Belgium (search), emphasized the need for systemic change: "Our shared vision is to align stakeholders across the care ecosystem in a more agile, integrated approach. This is the beginning of what we hope to be long-term commitment to unlocking access for patients, starting in Europe and expanding from there."
Brussels Summit to Drive Solutions
The first major milestone of this collaboration will be a landmark event titled "Unlocking patient access to advanced cell therapies," scheduled for December 11, 2025, at PwC Belgium (search)'s headquarters in Diegem, Brussels. The event is designed to convene senior leaders from across the healthcare spectrum, including representatives from R&D, manufacturing, regulatory bodies, payers, and patient advocacy groups.
Structured around TED-style talks and high-level panel discussions, the summit will address critical topics including:
- 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 aims to serve as a catalyst for establishing a multi-stakeholder ATMP access consortium, which is expected to formally launch in early 2026 with a mission to coordinate action, share best practices, and support pilot programs aimed at improving ATMP accessibility across markets.
Strategic Focus on Europe
The partnership has chosen Europe as its initial focus due to several strategic advantages. According to D'Haenens, Europe offers a sizable market with numerous drug developers, commercialized therapies, and ongoing clinical trials, supported by robust government backing. The region has developed extensive support mechanisms including funding programs like Horizon Europe (search) and the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), along with regulatory frameworks such as the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT).
"Recently, Europe has developed a lot of support mechanisms from the funding perspective and from its regulatory framework," D'Haenens noted. She also highlighted Europe's favorable hospital infrastructure compared to North America, with shorter distances between treatment centers and a denser network of hospitals, potentially facilitating better patient access.
Integrated Approach to Complex Challenges
The collaboration recognizes that improving ATMP access requires addressing the entire ecosystem surrounding therapy development and delivery. For small biotech companies, this may involve partnerships with contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) to achieve sufficient scale. Healthcare providers must stay current with the latest treatment developments and regimens, while payers need to be engaged in pricing and reimbursement discussions.
"Our aim is to bring PwC and [Terumo] BCT together so that we can bring more expertise together from the starting point to cover all these aspects," D'Haenens explained.
The partnership plans to publish outcomes and next steps from the Brussels event in the weeks following the meeting, ensuring that discussions translate into measurable progress. D'Haenens characterized the initiative as an opportunity for stakeholders to accelerate positive industry changes toward improving patient access and reducing costs.
"We hope this is the beginning of meaningful action," D'Haenens added. "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."