Bristol Myers Squibb inks $380m CAR-T capacity and supply deal with Cellares

Under terms of the agreement, self-acclaimed integrated development and manufacturing organization (IDMO) Cellares will enhance, automate, and technology transfer specific Bristol Myers chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) cell therapies onto its automated manufacturing platform, the Cell Shuttle.

Cellares will dedicate multiple Cell Shuttle and Cell Q systems for Bristol Myers’ exclusive use across its “Smart Factories” in the US, Europe, and Japan. According to the firm, its Smart Factories are 10 times more productive than traditional contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) facilities. In turn, Bristol Myers Squibb said the agreement will bolster its existing global network of cell therapy manufacturing facilities and provide the possibility to advance turnaround time to support the firm’s CAR-T inline and pipeline assets.

This agreement expands upon the existing partnership between Bristol Myers and Cellares. Having raised $255 million in a Series C financing round and laid ground on its third facility in Bridge Water, New Jersey, Cellares added Bristol Myers to its Technology Adoption Partnership (TAP) program in August 2023.

Under the TAP program, Bristol Myers entered a proof-of-concept transfer process using the Cell Shuttle and enabled the company to evaluate the automated manufacturing process and produce comparability data confirming the platform as a viable, cost-efficient, and scalable manufacturing solution for its CAR-T candidates.

“The agreement with Cellares is our latest step forward in support of our comprehensive strategy to unlock the full potential of CAR-T therapy to deliver transformative treatments to as many patients as possible, as quickly as possible,” said Lynelle Hoch, president, Cell Therapy Organization, Bristol Myers Squibb.

“Our collaboration with Cellares strengthens our existing internal manufacturing capabilities for CAR-T cell therapies by giving us access to the first end-to-end fully automated cell therapy manufacturing platform, to help ensure we meet the high demand for these differentiated treatments, now and in the future.”

Bristol Myers did not provide any further comment when contacted by this publication.