Just six weeks following the initial announcement of a partnership between cell and gene therapy manufacturer Cellares and Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), the collaboration is expanding its horizons. BMS is now set to harness the power of Cellares’ cutting-edge Cell Shuttle platform for the automated proof-of-concept manufacturing of a second CAR-T cell therapy from its extensive pipeline, according to a recent release from Cellares.
Although specific terms of this new agreement were not disclosed, it signifies a deepening of the relationship between these innovative companies.
Also Read: Bristol Myers Squibb’s Bold Robotic Alliance With Cellares For Advanced CAR-T Production
Back in August, Cellares, headquartered in South San Francisco, successfully unveiled a substantial $255 million Series C funding round. This financial boost was aimed at completing the construction of its state-of-the-art, commercial-scale cell therapy manufacturing facility situated in New Jersey. Notably, BMS had a stake in this significant funding round, which was spearheaded by Koch Disruptive Technologies.
Cellares takes pride in its identity as the world’s pioneering Integrated Development and Manufacturing Organization (IDMO). With its compact, high-efficiency automation platform, Cellares boldly claims it can manufacture an equivalent number of cell therapy batches with a remarkable 90% reduction in labor and facility space, a significant departure from the norms of conventional contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMO).
Notably, in the previous month, Cellares entered into a strategic partnership with Lyell Immunopharma to conduct a proof-of-concept technology transfer for the production of its promising LYL797 cell therapy, designed to combat solid tumors.
Also Read: Cellares Announces $255M Investment Round With Bristol Myers Squibb Among Key Investors
Preceding this, BMS had already tapped this forward-looking company to undertake the proof-of-concept manufacturing for one of its pipeline cell therapies. It is important to note that all of Cellares’ ongoing work remains firmly in the preclinical stage.
Bristol Myers Squibb stands out as a formidable player in the cell therapy arena, boasting two approved cell therapies, Abecma and Breyanzi, along with three others currently in their development pipeline. This new collaboration underscores BMS’s prominent position within the industry’s cell therapy landscape, signifying a bright future for both parties involved.
