In a significant development for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, Century Therapeutics, Inc., a trailblazing biotechnology company, and FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, Inc., a prominent developer and manufacturer of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived cells, have announced a worldwide license agreement.
This collaboration is set to advance the development and commercialization of iPSC-derived cell therapies aimed at combating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Autoimmune diseases affect over 24 million Americans, and their incidence is on the rise. The current treatment options are limited to managing symptoms, which include reducing inflammation and the immune response.
iPSCs offer a promising avenue due to their ability to self-renew and differentiate into essential cell types, offering regenerative and immune-modulating properties.
The new licenses build upon an existing partnership from 2018, which focused on iPSC-derived cancer immunotherapeutics. FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics will receive development, regulatory milestone payments, and royalties for products developed through this collaboration.
Dr. Hy Levitsky, President of Research and Development at Century Therapeutics, highlighted the potential of their proprietary Allo-Evasion™ technology in developing effective cell therapies that can be redosed. This technology is hoped to deliver sustained drug exposure and immunologic pressure, not just for cancer treatment but also for immunologic diseases with high unmet needs.
The companies are excited about the upcoming sharing of clinical and translational data from the Phase 1 ELiPSE-1 trial of CNTY-101, an iPSC-derived CD19-specific CAR-NK cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory B cell lymphomas. This data is expected to support the potential of their platform to overcome the limitations of off-the-shelf allogeneic NK cell approaches.
FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics has supported Century Therapeutics in manufacturing CNTY-101 and is looking forward to expanding this partnership to tackle autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Both companies are committed to realizing the full potential of iPSC-derived therapeutics and improving patient care.
Century Therapeutics is dedicated to developing curative cell therapy products for cancer and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, aiming to overcome the limitations of first-generation cell therapies. FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics continues to support therapeutic candidates’ progress in the clinic and offers contract development and manufacturing services, among other life science tools.
This press release also contains forward-looking statements regarding Century Therapeutics’ clinical development plans and timelines, regulatory filings, and commercialization efforts. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including the success of their lead product candidate, CNTY-101, and the impact of external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and economic conditions.
For more detailed information, please visit Century Therapeutics at www.centurytx.com and FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics at https://www.fujifilmcdi.com/.