Distributed Manufacturing for CGT: Rent, Lease, or Buy in an Era of Overcapacity?

As cell and gene therapy companies navigate the 2026 landscape marked by manufacturing overcapacity, a strategic question is no longer if to outsource, but how.

For leaders across MSAT, CMC, and technical operations, the choice between renting, leasing, or building distributed manufacturing capabilities has direct implications for speed to clinic, capital efficiency, and long-term scalability. Critically, many organizations still face a persistent gap in generating high-quality IND-enabling material early, an issue that can delay clinical entry and jeopardize key funding milestones.

In this Cell & Gene Live, Chief Editor Erin Harris will be joined by Sugu Patro, Ph.D., SVP Global Process Development, at Kite Pharma and Emily Moran, Founder and Principal of 3LB Consulting, who will unpack what biotech teams should prioritize when evaluating partners in an overcapacity market, how to align early manufacturing strategy with clinical and financial goals. They will also share lessons to be drawn from Kite’s in-house expertise to build more resilient, future-ready manufacturing models.