Kyoto, Japan — Cell and gene therapies, or CGT, have come a long way since they were first introduced. In the last few decades, both cell therapy — the transplantation of living cells — and gene therapy — the use of genetic material to modify cell functions — have been increasingly incorporated into clinical practice.
Various challenges and advances have propelled the use of CGT in innovative treatments for diseases that had otherwise proven difficult to conquer. Yet progress has been uneven across different therapies and regions. To accelerate CGT innovation and improve access, it is essential to take a comprehensive look at past research achievements and qualitatively evaluate relevant factors.
These challenges motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to take a hard look at past data and assess the current standing of cell and gene therapies in cooperation with Arthur D. Little Japan. Using the PubMed and OpenAlex databases, the team accessed over 160,000 papers related to CGT published between 1989 and 2023. They then conducted a bibliometric analysis of the historical development of these therapies, including contributions by region.
The team’s analysis revealed global trends of CGT development over the 35-year study period. The amount of research focusing on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, including bone marrow transplantation, and ex vivo gene therapy has seen continued growth. In contrast, mesenchymal stem cell therapy, which utilizes cells that react to inflammation such as injury, and in vivo gene therapy have stagnated in their transition to clinical practice.
This study also uncovered compelling variations in research output by region. While Japan reliably contributes a large number of papers in cell therapy, it is lacking in significant qualitative influence. The United States and China lead the field of CGT research in both quantity and quality. But the high-impact papers were often a result of international collaborations.
“It’s clear that international collaborative research tends to lead to high-impact papers, confirming strong ties between Europe and the United States, as well as strong connections within Europe,” says team leader Sumimasa Nagai.
Of course, the changing geopolitical landscape and funding cuts to research in America are likely to have a significant impact on these trends, but the results of this study attest to the advantages of international cooperation. These findings are expected to serve as a crucial foundation for considering the allocation of research resources and the direction of future collaboration.
With this study, the researchers aim to steer Japan’s strengths in regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and gene therapy toward effective implementation in society. In the future, the team plans to further integrate information on patents, regulations, and funding alongside bibliographic data in order to develop a framework for comprehensively analyzing the flow from basic research to societal implementation.
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