Advancing Closed-System Performance: How CPC’s MicroCNX® Connectors Enable Scalable Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing

In this podcast, we spoke with Troy Ostreng, Senior Product Manager and David Burdge, Director of Cell and Gene Therapy at CPC about the development of the MicroCNX® aseptic micro-connectors and how they’re helping biopharma teams streamline closed-system operations for cell and gene therapies. What unfolded was a detailed and forward-looking conversation that touched on CPC’s 47-year legacy, the technical demands of advanced therapies, and the company’s plans to drive the future of automation and sterility in manufacturing.

A Legacy That Positioned CPC for Today’s Advanced Therapy Boom

When asked how CPC’s long history in biologics and hospital environments prepared the company for today’s cell and gene therapy landscape, David took us back to CPC’s roots. “CPC was founded in 1978, so that’s 47 years of innovation within connection technologies,” he said. “The first biologic was released in 1982, synthetic insulin, and we were there supporting the industry with open-format connectors on single-use bags.”

From the early development of biologics through the shift to single-use and the rise of stainless-steel/single-use hybrid systems, CPC continuously evolved its connection technologies. They launched steam-through connectors as bioprocessing grew more complex, released their first aseptic connector in 2009, and introduced their first connector specifically targeted for the cell and gene therapy market in 2017.

David explained how that history matters today: “Biologics has about a 35-year head start on advanced therapies. So the question becomes, what lessons can we transfer from biologics to cell and gene therapy as that industry grows at three to four times the rate biologics did in its first decade?”

That perspective, combining biological manufacturing experience with the needs of new therapy modalities, forms the foundation for CPC’s MicroCNX platform.

MicroCNX: The First Aseptic Connector Built for Small-Format Tubing

As cell and gene therapy developers began scaling up manufacturing, they quickly discovered a problem: the connectors used for biologics were not designed for small-volume, patient-specific therapies. Troy described it plainly: “Several years ago, we started hearing rumblings that current connectors weren’t meeting what cell and gene therapy required.”

CPC responded with a deep Voice of Customer (VOC) initiative, interviewing process engineers, operators, manufacturing leaders, and platform developers. Over and over, the same needs emerged.

Operators wanted something simple. “Ease of use was the number one requirement,” Troy said. “Operators needed a product that was easy to use so they could make sterile connections in a short amount of time.”

Processes demanded robustness. “Customers needed a connection they could trust—no contamination, no failures, no weak spots in the connection process,” he added.

Small-volume precise applications required connectors actually designed for them. With autologous therapies, he noted, “We aren’t talking about 1,000 liters; we’re talking about 250 milliliters. And if there’s a mishap, that could mean the difference between life and death for a patient.”