On the 11th of October 2023 Cellares, a pioneering player in the cell therapy manufacturing space, announced the expansion of its agreement with pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb. The expansion incorporates a second CAR-T cell therapy into Cellares’ Technology Adoption Partnership Program, which provides cell therapy developers with an opportunity to adopt their cutting-edge manufacturing platform, the Cell Shuttle.

Just weeks before the expanded agreement, Bristol Myers Squibb had already joined Cellares’ Technology Adoption Partnership Program to evaluate the manufacturing capabilities for another CAR-T therapy.

This collaboration will embark Bristol Myers Squibb on a proof-of-concept transfer process to manufacture two of its CAR-T cell therapies.

The expanded agreement emphasises the trust Bristol Myers Squibb places in Cellares’ capabilities and is another opportunity for the Cell Shuttle to prove itself as a cost-efficient, highly adaptable manufacturing platform. Thanks to its fully automated and closed nature, the Cell Shuttle accelerates the production process, enhancing efficiency and reducing the risk of contamination.

Cellares proudly presents itself as the first Integrated Development and Manufacturing Organization owing to its unique manufacturing solution. This flexible manufacturing technology supports both autologous and allogeneic cell therapy workflows, and it covers approximately 90% of cell therapy modalities. The Cell Shuttle promises to address the longstanding manufacturing bottleneck in the production of cell therapies and to scale adequately to the fast-growing patient demand.