Abstract
Cell-based therapy is the fastest growing segment of regenerative medicine, a field that promises to cure diseases not treated by other small molecules or biological drugs. The use of living cells as the active medicinal ingredient present great opportunities to deliver treatment that can trigger the body's own capacity to regenerate damaged or diseased tissue. Some of the challenges in controlling the quality of the finished cell-therapy product relate to the use of a variety of raw materials including excipients, process aids, and growth promotion factors. The quality of these materials is critical for ensuring the safety and quality of the finished therapeutic products. This review will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities associated with the qualification of excipients as well as that of the ancillary materials used in manufacturing.