The cell and gene therapy field is rapidly advancing, placing a focus on manufacturing challenges to meet the growing demand. The efficient harvest of viable cells or cell products and maintenance of native biological function influences platform and workflow choices. Established protocols for viral vector production on a range of scalable adherent platforms can be tailored to meet end objectives, taking into consideration factors such as desired yield, time to optimize the process, facility space, and media usage. Essentially, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ platform for upstream adherent cell culture.