NeoStem, an extremely well-positioned leader in the cell therapy space, via wholly-owned subsidiary Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC, recently announced a major manufacturing agreement with clinical-stage biotech firm ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a developer of innovative immune-based therapies for brain and other cancers.
Progenitor will serve a key manufacturing role in production during the run up to Phase II clinical trials of ICT-107, obtaining a strong foothold for as a strategic partner for a future Phase III involving the powerful new glioblastoma vaccine, which utilizes a dendritic cell-based targeting of a host of antigens linked to such tumors.
President and CSO of Progenitor, Robert Preti, PhD, pledged to offer the expertise and dedicated service for which the Company is known to ImmunoCellular’s ongoing clinical trialing of ICT-107, citing success stories like the seven-year manufacturing of Provenge for Dendreon’s clinical trials.
Chairman and CEO of NBS, Dr. Robin Smith, echoed her colleague’s sentiments and underscored the immense “manufacturing, regulatory, logistical transport and commercialization for therapeutics development” capacity of Progenitor. Dr. Smith projected solid growth in the client base, led by Progenitor’s reputation, combined with ample East and West Coast production infrastructure and ultimately reinforced by a rapidly emerging consensus in the sector regarding the importance of a skilled manufacturing partner for clinical trialing.
The benefit in terms of cost-effectiveness alone is enough to serve future growth; however, the service, logistics and dynamic scalability also obtained through such a partnership provide unique benefits any company steeped in the complexities of clinical trial procedures can instantly appreciate. The manufacturing agreement is a shrewd move, especially when taken into consideration alongside the greater arc of movement by NBS to dominate the paradigm shift into cell therapies, including the recent Amorcyte, Inc. acquisition, ongoing development of its VSEL™ Technology platform and pursuit of a new T-cell therapeutic with wide-ranging application in a variety of autoimmune disorders.
President and CEO of ImmunoCellular, Manish Singh, PhD, indicated that the use of Progenitor as a secondary manufacturing site for the Phase II study of ICT-107 was seen as mitigating substantial risk, while providing a relational foundation that can see the product into commercialization, making extensive use of the experience already obtained by Progenitor in this area to broadly supplement ImmunoCellular’s own manufacturing efforts.
Singh expressed high confidence that Progenitor’s competencies in autologous cell therapies, cell manufacturing, cell processing and delivery made them the ideal partner to help quickly navigate Phase II and get this important new therapy closer to market.
For more information on the agreement, on NeoStem, Inc., or its subsidiary Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC, please visit the Company’s website at: www.neostem.com
More information on ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. can be found at that company’s website: www.imuc.com
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