Summary:
Cellares has raised $355 million to develop groundbreaking cancer therapies.
The company focuses on cell therapy, using patients' own cells to fight cancer.
Located in New Jersey, Cellares benefits from a strategic biotech ecosystem.
Automated manufacturing aims to scale production to tens of thousands of doses annually.
Cellares partners with Bristol Myers Squibb for future cell therapy manufacturing.
New Jersey: An Underrated Biotech Hub
New Jersey may not have the best reputation, often overshadowed by pop culture references, but it plays a critical role as a biotech hub. Competing with South San Francisco and Boston, the state is home to major biomedical companies like Johnson & Johnson and Bristol Myers Squibb, attracting startups aiming to revolutionize disease treatment.
Cellares: Pioneering Cell Therapy
Recently, I visited Cellares in Bridgewater, NJ, where they are developing futuristic technology to cure blood cancer. This location was chosen for its strategic advantages, as explained by co-founder and CEO Fabian Gerlinghaus.
Understanding Cell Therapy
Cell therapy involves genetically engineering patients’ own white blood cells to target and kill cancer cells. While revolutionary, the process is complex and costly because it is personalized for each patient, making bulk production difficult.
From Aerospace to Biotech
Gerlinghaus, an aerospace engineer, was inspired to enter the life sciences after reading about Richard Branson. After leading innovations at Synthego, he recognized the urgent need for scalable cancer treatments and co-founded Cellares with Omar Kurdi.
Significant Funding and Partnerships
Cellares has successfully raised $355 million in funding and secured a $380 million deal with Bristol Myers Squibb. Their funding journey began in 2019 with an $18 million Series A led by Eclipse, a venture firm focusing on industrial startups.
Manufacturing Innovation
The Bridgewater facility is set to operate at clinical scale within a year and commercial scale in two years. Cellares’ innovative hardware automates manufacturing and quality control, aiming to produce tens of thousands of doses annually, compared to the entire industry’s output of only 8,000 doses in 2023.
The Vision for the Future
Cellares aims to be the TSMC of cell therapy, manufacturing the 'hardware' for therapies designed by companies like Bristol Myers Squibb. This vision requires courage from both society and investors, as noted by Gerlinghaus.
New Jersey's Role in Medicine
Choosing New Jersey for their main facility highlights the state’s talent pool and logistical advantages. Cellares is a testament to New Jersey’s significant contributions to the future of medicine, challenging stereotypes about the state.
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