Jonathan Appleby
Chief Scientific Officer, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
Dr Jonathan Appleby is currently Chief Scientific Officer at the UK’s Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult). The CGT Catapult employs over 400 full-time staff, spread across three centres. Dr Appleby leads the London based 1200m2 development laboratories which are focussed on the creation of analytical and process development solutions for ATMPs. The Catapult also runs a 7000m2 commercially licensed manufacturing site in Stevenage where several companies produce ATMPs for clinical use and recently acquired large scale bioprocessing capability through HMG backed purchase of Benchmark Holdings Vaccine Plant in Braintree.
Prior to joining the CGT Catapult Jonathan was Chief Scientific Officer for cell and gene therapy in GSK’s Rare Diseases Unit and was accountable for the EU Submission of StrimvelisTM, the first paediatric CD34 Stem Cell Gene Therapy to be licensed anywhere in the world. He was also project leader for a similar asset focussed on Metachromatic Leukodystrophy. In 2018 both assets were licenced to Orchard Therapeutics, a deal that he was central to shaping and delivering. As CSO for the rare diseases gene therapy portfolio Jonathan was also responsible for evaluating new therapeutic opportunities and was a member of GSK’s Technology Investment Board.
Jonathan has 20 years’ experience of R&D and has worked in all phases of drug development from target identification through to phase IV across a broad range of therapeutic areas.
