Novartis offers to buy Kymriah manufacturer

Following its success in the burgeoning area of CAR-T therapies, Novartis is looking to strengthen its cell and gene manufacturing capabilities by offering to acquire CDMO CellforCure, manufacturers of its CAR-T drug Kymriah. Under the proposed agreement, Novartis would acquire the share capital of the French company – one of the first and largest contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMO) producing cell and gene therapies in Europe – including the manufacturing facility located in Les Ulis. If the offer is accepted, CellforCure would become a wholly owned Novartis manufacturing site, joining the existing network of cell and gene therapy sites including Morris Plains, New Jersey, USA and Stein, Switzerland.
Novartis previously signed an agreement with CellforCure in July to produce CAR-T cell therapies including Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) – which was the first CAR-T cell therapy approved by the FDA and became one of the fastest funding approvals in the NHS’ 70-year history. Novartis and CellforCure have successfully completed technology transfer and Kymriah clinical supply production is expected to begin by mid-2019. But the launch of the drug has not been without setbacks. Marketing has proved difficult in the US, where many hospitals do not have the expertise or capacity to administer it.