Novartis has signed an initial agreement with Carisma Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical pioneer in engineered macrophage-based therapeutics, to manufacture the HER 2 targeted CAR-M cell therapy, which is tested in initial trials for the treatment of solid tumors.
Under the terms of the initial agreement, the Carisma Therapeutics manufacturing process will be transferred to the Novartis Cell Therapy Site in Morris Plains, U.S, starting in the coming days. Clinical manufacturing is planned to begin in 2023, Novartis said in its press release.
“The Global Biotech Cooperations unit of Novartis is fully committed to collaborate with Carisma Therapeutics to bring their CAR-M cell therapy to patients by offering its proven state-of-the art cell and gene production capabilities,” said Anton Gerdenitsch, Head of the Contract Manufacturing Organization at Novartis Technical Operations. “As one of the world’s largest producers of medicines, Novartis can mobilize its manufacturing capacity in an efficient way on multiple fronts.”
This new agreement follows contract manufacturing agreements signed last year such as the agreements with BioNTech, for the filling of the Covid vaccine at the Novartis Technical Operations’ sites in Stein, Switzerland, and in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Further specifics will be disclosed when agreements are concluded, Novartis said.