Regulating for innovation: the MHRA’s ambition to make the UK a first-launch market for advanced therapies

Cell & Gene Therapy Insights 2026; 12(9), 911–916

DOI: 10.18609/cgti.2026.113

Published: 14 October
Interview
Jacob George

“We want to foster an environment of innovation and continue to develop conditions where developers and innovators can build that evidence base.”

Fresh from his keynote at Advanced Therapies Europe, Abi Pinchbeck, Commissioning Editor, Cell & Gene Therapy Insights , speaks with Jacob George, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), about the MHRA’s evolving role in advanced therapy regulation, the UK’s position in the global CGT landscape, the principles of regulatory convergence and divergence, risk-proportionate licensing decisions, and the agency’s priorities for making the UK a first-launch market for advanced therapies.