Mankind Pharma, through its subsidiary Mankind Pharma (Netherlands) B.V., has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Armed Cell Therapeutics B.V. (ACTx), a Belgium-incorporated biotechnology company developing CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell) therapies for cancer.
Under the agreement, Mankind Pharma will invest EUR 48 million for a 70 per cent stake in ACTx. The company has a pipeline of next-generation CAR-T assets, with lead programmes in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and small cell lung cancer. ACTx will pursue approaches to CAR-T cell therapy, including in vivo CAR-T cell generation. Its R&D activities are led by teams based in the US and Europe.
Armed Cell Therapeutics was founded by a team with experience in drug development, cell therapy and company building. Its founders include Paul Stoffels, MD, Chair of the Board, former Chief Executive Officer of Galapagos and former Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson; John Mellors, MD, Chief Scientific Officer, Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and former SVP Discovery and Early Development at Galapagos; and Peter Verhaeghe, former Chair of argenx.
CAR-T therapies have transformed the treatment of some blood cancers. However, many patients relapse because of a lack of CAR-T cell persistence, CAR-T exhaustion or the emergence of resistant cancer cells. Solid cancers pose challenges for CAR-T cells in penetrating tumours and functioning in hostile tumour microenvironments.
Armed CAR-T cells are engineered with additional payloads to strengthen and sustain their anti-tumour activity, with the goal of achieving deeper and more durable responses. Targeting more than one cancer antigen is designed to make it harder for cancer cells to escape.
The partnership is part of Mankind Pharma’s vision of becoming an innovative, research-focused healthcare company. It is intended to strengthen the company’s ability to deliver innovation-led therapies globally while maintaining its commitment to quality, affordability and accessibility.
Arjun Juneja, Chief Operating Officer, Mankind Pharma, said, “Innovation will be one of the defining growth engines for Mankind over the coming decades. This investment is the first step in building a global pipeline of breakthrough therapies. As the company scales its presence across complex and chronic therapy areas, Mankind, with this venture, is getting access to cutting-edge & differentiated scientific platforms, experienced leadership team and potential to generate multiple next-generation CAR-T candidates. Our long-term ambition is not only to participate in scientific innovation globally, but ultimately to make these transformative therapies more accessible to patients in India and around the world.”
Dr Paul Stoffels, Chair of the Board, Armed Cell Therapeutics, said, “Next-generation CAR-T therapies can reach many more patients if we make them more powerful and durable. Armed Cell Therapeutics has the assets, the team and now the backing of Mankind to do exactly that. I am pleased to chair the Board and support the team.”