Adaptimmune’s SPEAR (Specific Peptide Enhanced Affinity Receptor) therapies are based on T-cells isolated from the blood of cancer patients.
The manufacturing approach is to make the harvested cells better at attaching to tumours by modifying the genes that encode the cell surface proteins - T cell receptors - that recognize and bind cancerous cells.
The Oxford, UK-based biopharma firm has worked with PCT – a contract manufacturing offshoot of Caladrius Biosciences – for the past three years but this five-year deal will ensure supply of its SPEAR T-Cell products.
“[PCT’s] commitment to high quality manufacturing, allied to timely delivery, makes them an ideal manufacturing partner for Adaptimmune,” CTO Gwendolyn Binder-Scholl said.
An Adaptimmune spokesperson told us manufacturing will be done from PCT’s facility in Allendale, New Jersey, and the agreement will complement Adaptimmune’s own manufacturing plant, currently under construction in Philadelphia.
The Navy Yard, Philadelphia was selected as the firm’s US headquarters and base for clinical and manufacturing operations last October and construction is expected to be complete later this year.
The news comes six weeks after the firm was ordered to halt a trial of its liposarcoma therapy candidate by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which demanded additional chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) information and answers to questions about study design