Corporate
News release
TopLAKEWOOD, Colo., USA--October 9, 2018-- UniCAR-Therapy Bio-Medicine Technology Co. chose Terumo BCT and its cell expansion devices to automate its cell therapy manufacturing process for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. Privately held, UniCAR will open their Center of Excellence for Terumo BCT's technologies in Shanghai in November.
Terumo BCT is a global leader in blood component, therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapy technologies. The company provides flexible solutions for CAR T-cell developers and manufacturers, including the Quantum® Cell Expansion System, in use at UniCAR today.
"Compared to the manual method of cell expansion, we save time and increase the quality of cells and viruses we grow using the Quantum system. It only makes sense to share best practices and showcase technologies that are driving innovation in our growing industry."
Dr. Yu Lei, Pioneer in the Gene Therapy Field, CEO, UniCAR
In 2018, UniCAR submitted four applications for CAR T-cell drug candidates as investigational new drugs (INDs) to China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). UniCAR's advanced CAR T2.0 technologies are designed to reduce the side effects of treatments and improve patient outcomes.
"The science and development in the cell and gene therapy space are rapidly evolving. Both UniCAR and Terumo BCT are at the forefront of this quickly changing landscape," says Cindy Ng, Senior Vice President, Global Commercial, Terumo BCT. "Our collaboration has the potential to touch many patients' lives."
In addition to automating cell expansion manufacturing with the Quantum system, Terumo BCT continues to deliver high-levels of service to support its customer's innovations. The Finia® Fill and Finish System, one of the company's latest technology in development, is designed to automate the final step of cell processing which includes cooling, mixing and aliquoting doses of cell therapies. The company's COBE® Spectra Apheresis System and Spectra Optia® Apheresis System are extensively used in the industry to collect high-quality white blood cells--the first step in CAR T-cell therapies.
About UniCAR
China-based UniCAR Therapy is a pioneer in the industry of cancer immunotherapy. The company collaborates with top-ranked hospitals specializing in hematological malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. To date, more than 400 patients have benefitted from UniCAR's immunotherapeutic products. The company holds more than 30 patents of CAR T-cell technology and is dedicated to the extended application of the next generation of CAR T-cell therapies with enhanced efficacy and safety profiles.
About Terumo BCT
Terumo BCT, a global leader in blood component, therapeutic apheresis and cellular technologies, is the only company with the unique combination of apheresis collections, manual and automated whole blood processing, and pathogen reduction technologies. We believe in the potential of blood to do even more for patients than it does today. This belief inspires our innovation and strengthens our collaboration with customers.
About Terumo
Terumo (TSE: 4543) is a global leader in medical technology and has been committed to “Contributing to Society through Healthcare” for 100 years. Based in Tokyo and operating globally, Terumo employs more than 30,000 associates worldwide to provide innovative medical solutions in more than 160 countries and regions. The company started as a Japanese thermometer manufacturer, and has been supporting healthcare ever since. Now, its extensive business portfolio ranges from vascular intervention and cardio-surgical solutions, blood transfusion and cell therapy technology, to medical products essential for daily clinical practice such as transfusion systems, diabetes care, and peritoneal dialysis treatments. Terumo will further strive to be of value to patients, medical professionals, and society at large.