Recent Articles in Cell & Gene Therapy

Gracell Biotech, a Suzhou-San Diego cell therapy company, will be acquired by AstraZeneca in a deal worth up to $1.2 billion. AstraZeneca will acquire at least one clinical stage CAR-T therapy plus Gracell’s FasTCAR next-day manufacturing technology. Gracell shareholders will receive $10.00 per ADS ($2.00 per ordinary share) in cash at closing, plus a non-tradable contingent value right for up to $1.50 per ADS ($0.30 per ordinary share) for a single regulatory milestone. The acquisition is priced at an 86% premium to Gracell’s previous closing market price. More details....

Stock Symbol: (NSDQ: GRCL)

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CellOrigin Biotechnology (Hangzhou) announced a solid-tumor patient was dosed in a China trial of SY001, the first China trial of a CAR-macrophage therapy. The company develops immune cell therapies (such as macrophages, NK cells) derived from genetically engineered pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) for solid tumor cancers. It believes the unique characteristics of macrophages allow the drug to infiltrate the solid tumor microenvironment. In the first two patients, SY001 was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicity. The investigator-led study is enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors. More details....

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Chengdu Haisco Pharma out-licensed global (ex-Greater China) rights for its dipeptidyl peptidase 1 (DPP1) inhibitor, a proposed therapy for bronchiectasis, to Chiesi Farmaceutici of Parmi, Italy. HSK31858 is an oral, highly selective small molecule DPP1 inhibitor developed by Haisco with the potential to be an anti-inflammatory agent in bronchiectasis.  Haisco is currently conducting a China Phase II trial of HSK31858 for the indication. Chiesi will have rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize HSK31858 outside greater China. The deal calls for an upfront payment, milestones and royalties, though specific amounts were not disclosed. More details....

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Suzhou Porton Advanced, a gene and cell therapy CDMO, formed a partnership with Chengdu’s Ascle Therapeutics to develop NK cells and gene and cell therapies for cancer prevention, beauty and anti-aging. Ascle’s lead candidate, ASC101, is a CAR-NK cell therapy that targets ROBO1, which it expects will have efficacy in 80% of solid tumors. In a preliminary IIT trial, ASC101 demonstrated a disease control rate of 76.5%. Ascle develops NK/CAR-NK anti-tumor immune cell therapy drugs. Porton Advanced will provide development, production and regulatory services for Ascle's NK cell project. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. More details....

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Boston’s Nona Biosciences, an antibody discovery CMO, will integrate GeneQuantum’s novel bioconjugate discovery platforms to advance discovery of next-generation bioconjugates. GeneQuantum, a Suzhou biotech, claims to be a pioneer in using enzymatic site-specific conjugation technology to develop ADC drugs. The company has developed the iLDC (intelligent Ligase-dependent Conjugation) and iGDC (intelligent Glycotransferase-dependent conjugation) platforms, which will be combined with Nona Biosciences' Harbour Mice® platform. Nona Biosciences is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HBM Holdings (HK: 02142) that offers integrated antibody discovery services from discovery to preclinical testing. More details....

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