TC BioPharm creates allogeneic cell banks for CAR-T cancer therapy products
.jpg)
The first completed bio-banks will be used to develop more cost-effective, safe and efficacious cancer treatments.
TC BioPharm (TCB), a developer of CAR-T immuno-oncology products, including Gamma Delta T (GDT) cell therapies, has completed formulation of its first allogeneic GDT cell banks. The T cell banks provide TCB with core technology to develop a deep portfolio of next-generation CAR-T products directed against a wide variety of different cancer types, both hematological and solid tumors. The project was supported by funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 (H2020) Research and Innovation program via a €4-million grant, the largest such EU award to any UK company for development of a healthcare therapeutic product.
The GDT cell banks are collected and stored from healthy donors, providing a source for TCB to manufacture next-generation ‘off-the-shelf’ GDT cell therapies for future clinical product development. Using allogeneic material from healthy donors offers several advantages over conventional autologous CAR-T therapies, which use the patient’s own cells to treat their tumor, as TCB’s proprietary allogeneic CAR-T cells are not prone to ‘on-target, off-tumor’ toxicities. In addition, a larger population of cancer patients can be treated with a single reproducible product, ‘campaign-manufactured’ in bulk to keep costs lower, consequently increasing accessibility and reducing financial burden for healthcare systems.
Benefitting from H2020 support, TCB is rapidly progressing its clinical evaluation of allogeneic therapies. Having recently demonstrated safety and efficacy of large-dose autologous gamma-delta T cells in cancer patients, TCB is commencing treatment of cancer patients with an allogeneic variant. By building on its exclusive CAR-T platform, the company also plans to treat leukemia patients with an allogeneic CD19-directed GDT CAR-T product.
Angela Scott, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, TCB, said: “I am delighted we have completed manufacture of our first allogeneic cell banks. By combining allogeneic GDT therapy with our unique CAR-T platform it will allow us to develop the next generation of safe, cost-effective immunotherapy for cancer, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.”
Dr Michael Leek, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, TCB, commented: “Availability of clinical-grade allogeneic GDT cell banks is an important commercial milestone for TCB. This allows us to transition our therapeutic approach from expensive and complex personalized therapy using patient’s own cells, to a more cost-effective ‘pharmaceuticalized’ approach.”
Related News
-
News Novartis signs US$3.2 bn subcutaneous delivery deal with Alteogen
Swiss pharma giant secures access to Korean biotech's ALT-B4 hyaluronidase platform in milestone-heavy agreement, marking Alteogen's fourth major licensing deal of 2026 as competition intensifies in the subcutaneous drug delivery space.
-
News Women in Pharma: The philosophy of pharmaceutical leadership
In this latest instalment of our Women in Pharma series, we sit down with Clarissa Sowemimo-Coker, Chief Strategy Officer at Ambrose Healthcare and CPHI Middle East Advisory Board Member.
-
News The PSCI Supplier Partnership - Collaboration for Responsible Supply Chains
About the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI) is the leading, member-led association for pharmaceutical companies working collaboratively to build responsible supply chains. Founded in 2006 and es... -
News AstraZeneca shares plunge 8.9% after reports of BMS talks
Britain's largest drugmaker lost more than GBP£17 billion in market value following reports of preliminary merger discussions with Bristol Myers Squibb that could create a pharmaceutical giant worth nearly US$400 billion, though investors rem... -
News GSK announces £400 million investment in new Cambridge R&D centre
Pharmaceutical giant to establish flagship research facility on Cambridge Biomedical Campus as part of strategic pipeline acceleration
-
News The CPHI Sustainability Summit - Where Conversation Becomes Collaboration
The Report Was Never the Destination - “The future of pharmaceutical sustainability won’t be shaped by individual organisations working in isolation. It will be shaped by partnerships, shared expertise and the willingness to work diffe... -
News Trump's generic drug tariffs set to reshape global pharmaceutical supply chains
The US president has announced plans to impose tariffs of up to 200% on imported generic medicines from August 2028, giving manufacturers a two-year window to establish domestic production facilities. The move threatens to upend a global supply chain t... -
News Building Safer, More Responsible Pharmaceutical Supply Chains: PSCI Global Audit Insights
The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI) has released its seventh annual Audit Findings Analysis Report, offering unprecedented insights into supplier practices across the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.With a record-breaking 24...