STORY / PUBLIC SOURCE RECORD
Norway: A destination of excellence for cell therapy trials
- Published 15 December 2025; updated 3 June 2026; estimated reading time 6 minutes. The article describes Norway’s CAR T-cell research/clinical-trial ecosystem, including Rikshospitalet and Radiumhospitalet (Oslo University Hospital) as sites for four multinational Kymriah trials. It says Norway was among the first countries to introduce and reimburse Kymriah in 2018, including for eligible children. Novartis Norway Country Manager Veronika Barrabés also discusses a planned Norwegian trial of a cell-therapy platform for lupus; the page frames this as a prospective study and access opportunity.
- The page attributes recruitment efficiency to a coordinated specialist-health system, national registries, regional patient populations and patient trust. It says EU-compliant certified cell-therapy centres operate at Oslo University Hospital, Haukeland University Hospital, St Olav’s Hospital and University Hospital of North Norway. Oslo Myeloma Centre is described as one of Europe’s largest myeloma trial centres, enrolling 1,006 patients in 67 studies since 2015 and maintaining a biobank.
- SINTEF’s cellular-therapy research uses robotics, automation and high-throughput testing; the article says robotic workflows can conduct 200–400 tests at a time. The Centre for Advanced Cell Therapy (ACT Centre) at Radiumhospitalet supports early-phase trials and possible in-house cell manufacturing, including regulatory support, process development and validation. The page reports production of genetically modified cells at Radiumhospitalet and a first-in-human study where cells were manufactured in Oslo and administered to a patient in Uppsala; the linked NEJM paper provides the study reference. These are article-reported clinical research milestones, not medical advice.
- The article says Norway’s National Action Plan seeks a 15% annual increase in clinical trials and stronger international/bilateral cooperation. It describes regulatory simplification for GMO-related trials while remaining aligned to EU rules and portrays approvals as efficient. These are the page’s characterization of policy and should not be taken as legal/regulatory guidance. Contacts are routed through a page contact form for Jannik Grodt Schmidt and Rasmus Malmborg; Invest in Norway contact is also linked. Related industry: Health and life science.