We are pleased to welcome Dr Rick Hibbert as NecstGen’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 October 2025.
Rick is an experienced leader in the biopharmaceutical industry, with a strong background in innovation, development, and manufacturing. He joins NecstGen from Genmab, an international biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutic antibodies to treat cancer, where he served as Vice President and Head of CMC Science and Technologies. Rick received his PhD at the University of Oxford in 2005 and obtained his MBA in 2013.
At NecstGen, Rick will lead our mission to empower the next generation of Cell and Gene Therapy innovators, accelerating the path from research to patients worldwide. As a development and manufacturing centre, NecstGen supports both academic and industrial partners in advancing pioneering therapies. We are proud to collaborate with leading researchers on innovative projects like Gene Therapy to treat Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy and new stem cell treatments for diabetes. Rick’s leadership will be key in driving these initiatives forward.
We extend our sincere thanks to Chief Operating Officer Arjen Schippers and Chief Financial Officer Jan Rydlo for their leadership during this transition period.
NecstGen is proud to announce a new partnership with the WMDA. This collaboration unites two mission-driven organizations with a shared commitment to advancing life-saving cell and gene therapies. Both NecstGen and WMDA operate as non-profit entities, focusing on patient impact and aligning our values with putting patients and donors first.
“Cellular therapy starts with high-quality cells from donors who are protected,” says Lydia Foeken-van Goozen, CEO of WMDA. “We believe that our collaboration with NecstGen will benefit both patients and donors.”
Designed to enable the next generation of cell and gene therapies, the partnership will leverage the strengths of each organisation. NecstGen brings expertise in advanced therapy development and GMP manufacturing, while WMDA contributes its global network and deep experience in donor recruitment and care. By combining these capabilities, we aim to accelerate innovation in cell & gene therapy and improve patient access to new treatments while upholding the highest standards of quality and safety.
“We are excited about the road ahead and will share further updates as our joint effort progresses,” says Tristan Pritchard-Meaker, Head of BD at NecstGen.
As fellow mission-driven teams, NecstGen and WMDA share a vision of collaboration. Our teams will work closely to exchange knowledge, support each other’s initiatives, and address challenges across the cell therapy pipeline – from donor availability to manufacturing scale-up. We will focus on practical steps that make advanced therapies more accessible and sustainable.
Leiden, Netherlands – [6th of May 2025] – NecstGen, a center of excellence in Cell and Gene Therapy development and manufacturing, today announced a partnership with Astraveus to evaluate the Lakhesys™ Benchtop Cell Factory, a novel microfluidic manufacturing platform designed to transform the production of CAR-T therapies.
NecstGen will use Astraveus’ Lakhesys™ system to explore its potential in delivering a scalable, cost-effective alternative to conventional CAR-T manufacturing processes. The project is set to demonstrate the ability of benchtop, closed-system automation to address key bottlenecks in Cell Therapy production. Additionally, NecstGen will produce Lentiviral vector for Astraveus’ internal research and development needs.
Astraveus recently showcased the first complete end-to-end CAR-T manufacturing run on the Lakhesys™ platform and is now starting external testing of its new manufacturing platform with partners. With its microfluidic core, the system offers a significant reduction in footprint, resources, and hands-on processing time.
Paul Bilars, CEO of NecstGen, commented: “At NecstGen, we actively seek out pioneering technologies that align with our mission to bring advanced therapies to patients more efficiently. Astraveus’ Lakhesys™ platform represents a compelling approach to improving CAR-T production and scaling to meet growing global demand.”
Jérémie Laurent, PhD, CEO of Astraveus, added: “We are delighted to be working with NecstGen, a forward-thinking partner with technical expertise and a shared vision for accelerating the accessibility of Cell Therapies. This collaboration will support demonstrating the disruptive potential of Lakhesys™ in a GMP environment.”
This partnership builds upon NecstGen’s mission to empower therapy developers, from academia to industry, with the infrastructure, expertise, and flexibility required to move from concept to clinic. The collaboration with Astraveus adds to a growing portfolio of innovative partnerships that position NecstGen as a leading CDMO in the cell and gene therapy ecosystem.
For more information, visit necstgen.com or connect with Tristan Pritchard-Meaker, Head of Business Development
About Astraveus
Astraveus is a Paris-based life science company dedicated to making cell therapies with maximized quality at order-of-magnitude lower cost. With the unique Lakhesys Benchtop Cell Factory™, Astraveus provides bioprocessing innovation at the cellular level, utilizing cutting-edge microfluidic technology to enhance process optimization and scalability from pre-clinical to commercial manufacturing.
Founded in 2016 by Jérémie Laurent at the Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris, a prestigious hub for leading cell therapy research, Astraveus is committed to revolutionizing the development and manufacturing of cell therapies and aspires to make these innovative treatments accessible to everyone in need, thereby enabling a healthier tomorrow.
NecstGen is a non-profit CDMO and centre of excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy, located in a purpose-built GMP facility at the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest bio-cluster in the Netherlands. NecstGen provides critical contract development, manufacturing and rental services to academic and industrial therapy developers to deliver next-generation therapeutics to patients.
Leiden, The Netherlands, April 3rd, 2025 – NecstGen, the Netherlands Center for the Clinical Advancement of Stem Cell and Gene Therapies, announces that Paul Bilars will be stepping down as Chief Executive Officer in July, after five and a half years of dedicated service. Paul’s leadership has been instrumental in establishing NecstGen as a place of innovation and excellence in the field of Cell and Gene Therapy.
Paul’s journey for NecstGen began with a vision: to create a centre that not only advances cell and gene therapies but also fosters collaboration across academia and industry. Many stakeholders and supporters were engaged by Paul, many of whom also played pivotal roles in the starting the initiative and jointly founding NecstGen. His commitment to this mission has led to the development of a state-of-the-art GMP facility at the Leiden Bio Science Park, providing services for Cell Therapy manufacturing, Viral Vector production, and cleanroom rental.
Under Paul’s stewardship, NecstGen has forged pivotal partnerships that have accelerated the translation of groundbreaking therapies from bench to bedside. Collaborations with organisations such as Pan Cancer T have advanced personalised TCR T-cell therapy approaches, focusing on innovative strategies to improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients. NecstGen has secured important industry interactions including the support of decentralised manufacturing of CAR-T cell therapies for Galapagos.
Paul’s leadership was also marked by significant financial milestones, including securing investments from key stakeholders such as Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden University, the National Government through the Groeifonds, and the Province of South Holland to support the establishment and growth of NecstGen’s facility.
Beyond these achievements, Paul’s energetic and supportive approach has cultivated a strong culture of proactive innovation within NecstGen. His genuine care for colleagues and partners alike has fostered an environment where ideas flourish, and boundaries are pushed.
As Paul embarks on a new chapter, his NecstGen colleagues extend their gratitude for his dedication. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and guide the organisation’s future endeavours. Paul will continue his commitment to healthcare by joining ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, an organisation dedicated to mental health and resilience. ARQ’s mission aligns with his passion for improving lives through innovation and care, making it a natural next step in his journey.
NecstGen remains committed to the vision that Paul helped to build and will continue to support groundbreaking Cell and Gene Therapy advancements. Continuity will be ensured through the ongoing support of shareholder LUMC, as well as the leadership of Chief Operating Officer Arjen Schippers and Chief Financial Officer Jan Rydlo. The organisation looks forward to a future shaped by the strong foundation he has laid and remains dedicated to driving innovation for the benefit of patients worldwide.
About NecstGen
NecstGen is a non-profit Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) and centre of excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy, located in a purpose-built GMP facility at the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest bio-cluster in the Netherlands. NecstGen provides critical contract development, manufacturing, and rental services to academic and industrial therapy developers, enabling the delivery of next-generation therapeutics to patients.
19 February 2025 Leiden, The Netherlands – Modified cells offer an attractive opportunity to cure disease however their inherent complexity requires novel technologies to better understand them. Such technologies could greatly improve Cell Therapy translation and development leading to efficiency and better outcomes for patients.
NecstGen, a non-profit CDMO for Cell & Gene Therapy, and Digi.Bio, a developer of novel lab-on-a-chip technology, have formed a collaboration to improve testing and development for Cell Therapies. This partnership utilises Digi.Bio’s cutting-edge platform to deliver dynamic multiparametric single-cell immunoprofiling, aiming to accelerate the journey from concept to therapeutic.
As the Cell & Gene Therapy industry continues to evolve, the need for more sophisticated development tools and reliable testing methods is critical. Mode of action, efficacy, and safety testing are used to evaluate a therapeutic’s ability to achieve its intended effect and to control risk. Such testing is crucial for the approval and use of Cell and Gene Therapies to treat patients.
Digi.Bio is addressing these challenges with its platform that condenses the typical laboratory processes needed for testing Cell and Gene Therapies into a single microfluidic chip. Leveraging automation, microfluidics, AI and machine learning Digi.Bio’s platform achieves real-time analysis of cell-to-cell behaviour, including their interactions, motility, and therapeutic potential. The partnership with NecstGen provides opportunities for the application of Digi.Bio’s technology to Cell and Gene Therapy development and grants NecstGen access to novel technologies with the potential to speed-up Cell & Gene Therapy development.
“We are proud to collaborate with NecstGen. By bringing together their expertise in Cell & Gene therapy development and our innovative technology we aim to set new benchmarks for the Cell & Gene Therapy industry for efficacy and safety testing and support improving patient outcomes globally.”, adds Federico Muffatto, CEO of Digi.Bio.
“At NecstGen, we are supporting novel technologies that have the potential to accelerate Cell & Gene Therapy development,” said Paul Bilars, CEO of NecstGen. “Partnering with Digi.Bio allows us to leverage their cutting-edge technology to further enhance our testing capabilities, ultimately leading to faster and more reliable development of therapies.”
Watch how Digi.Bio’s technology can bring insights to your therapy development:
About NecstGen
NecstGen is a non-profit CDMO and centre of excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy, located in a purpose-built GMP facility at the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest bio-cluster in the Netherlands. NecstGen provides critical contract development, manufacturing and rental services to academic and industrial therapy developers to deliver next-generation therapeutics to patients.
About Digi.Bio
Digi.Bio is revolutionizing cell therapy development with its AI-driven, lab-on-a-chip platform. Designed for high-content, real-time analysis, the technology enables dynamic monitoring of immunotherapy performance at single-cell resolution. With BSL-2 laboratories at Leiden Bio Science Park and headquarters in Amsterdam, Digi.Bio provides a digital, single-cell representation of immune therapy responses, offering unprecedented spatial and temporal insights into treatment behavior.
Leiden, Netherlands – February 10, 2025 – NecstGen, a leading Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) dedicated to Cell and Gene Therapies, is proud to announce a strategic collaboration with Galapagos NV (Euronext & NASDAQ: GLPG), a biotechnology company with operations in Europe and the U.S. to support decentralized manufacturing of Galapagos’ candidate cell therapy products. The partnership underscores both NecstGen’s and Galapagos’ commitment to advancing innovative therapies and bridging the gap between the translation of research, to large clinical trials, and bring products to patients.
Building on NecstGen’s expertise in GMP-compliant manufacturing and its cleanroom infrastructure, this collaboration will leverage part of its large state-of-the-art facilities to establish robust CAR-T manufacturing on the basis of Galapagos’ innovative decentralized manufacturing platform. The project aims to support decentralised production of CAR-T therapies, increasing accessibility of these potential lifesaving treatments to patients.
Galapagos is building a pipeline of potentially best-in-class candidate cell therapy products in hematological and solid tumors using its innovative decentralized manufacturing platform. This platform is designed to deliver fresh, fit, stem-like early cells in a median vein-to-vein time of seven days, thereby avoiding cryopreservation and eliminating the need for bridging therapy. The first product to be manufactured under the collaboration agreement will be GLPG5101 which targets relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma indications. The collaboration could be broadened to include the manufacturing of additional product candidates in Galapagos’ portfolio.
Under this agreement, NecstGen will use some of its cleanrooms to support manufacturing for Galapagos’ clinical CAR-T programs. NecstGen will collaborate closely with Galapagos’ technical teams to ensure seamless and timely technology transfer and meet high production standards.
Paul Bilars, CEO of NecstGen, commented:
“Our collaboration with Galapagos marks an exciting milestone in the evolution of NecstGen as an organisation and for Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing. By combining our state-of-the-art infrastructure with Galapagos’ decentralized cell therapy approach, we aim to provide capacity and support for decentralised manufacturing and make transformative therapies more accessible to patients who need them.”
This collaboration builds upon NecstGen’s proven track record further establishing it as a trusted partner and a key player for Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing.
Galapagos is a biotechnology company with operations in the U.S. and Europe dedicated to transforming patient outcomes through life-changing science and innovation for more years of life and quality of life. Focusing on high unmet medical needs, Galapagos synergizes compelling science, technology, and collaborative approaches to create a deep pipeline of best-in-class medicines. With capabilities from lab to patient, including a decentralized cell therapy manufacturing platform, Galapagos is committed to challenging the status quo and delivering results for patients, its employees, and its shareholders. Galapagos’ goal is not just to meet current medical needs but to anticipate and shape the future of healthcare, ensuring that its innovations reach those who need them most. For additional information, please visit www.glpg.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn or X.
About NecstGen
NecstGen is a large non-profit CDMO and center of excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy, located in a purpose-built GMP facility at the Leiden Bio Science Park, the largest bio-cluster in the Netherlands. NecstGen specialises in providing contract development, manufacturing, and consulting services to support academic and industrial therapy developers reach patients.
NecstGen is a non-profit CDMO and Centre of Excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy located in a purpose-built GMP facility in Leiden, The Netherlands. Dedicated to the field of Cell and Gene Therapies, we provide expertise and capacity.
