BrightPath Bio and Cellistic Announces Process Development and Manufacturing Collaboration for Phase 1 Clinical Trial of iPSC-derived BCMA CAR-iNKT cell
13.12.2024 13:51:00 CET | Business Wire | Press Release
BrightPath Bio (Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth 4594, “BrightPath”), a pioneer in iPS cell-derived Natural Killer T (“NKT”) cell therapy, and Cellistic, a leader in advanced iPS cell therapy manufacturing, today announced a process development and manufacturing agreement to advance BrightPath’s novel allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy platform, utilizing iPSC-derived NKT cells for clinical trials.
The strategic collaboration includes the use of Cellistic's innovative 3D bioreactor-based manufacturing platform, Echo, to enable GMP-compliant, clinical-scale manufacturing of iPSC-derived BCMA-targeting CAR-NKT cells for Phase 1 multiple myeloma trial; establishing BrightPath as a first mover in this emerging field.
“The use of NKT cells as effectors in allogeneic CAR-T therapy represents a promising strategy, offering not only direct cytotoxicity but also indirect anti-tumor activity through the priming of host CD8+ T cells—a mechanism expected to evade host immune rejection and to enhance the durability of clinical responses. However, achieving clinical-scale manufacturing of such a rare subset of T cells while preserving their original functionality has conventionally been a significant challenge. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology has overcome this barrier, making large-scale production feasible,” stated Ken Nagai, CEO of BrightPath.
“While we have established a robust 2D culture-based manufacturing process, we have recognized the importance of anticipating the full scalability potential of the iPS cells from commercial perspective at an early stage. To address this need, we are committed to implement more scalable manufacturing solutions. Cellistic is well-positioned to meet this critical requirement with their unique 3D platform and extensive experiences in iPSC differentiation and scale-up of a variety of cell types,” Ken Nagai further noted. “We are delighted to partner with Cellistic, which has the most experience in culturing iPS cells using 3D bioreactors. This collaboration with Cellistic allows us to leverage their state-of-the-art development and manufacturing capabilities to accelerate the development of our BCMA CAR-NKT product.”
“We are excited to partner with BrightPath in the development of their revolutionary iPSC derived cell therapy,” said Gustavo Mahler, CEO of Cellistic. “Our Echo manufacturing platform is designed to meet the unique challenges of cell therapy production, ensuring scalability, quality, and regulatory compliance. Together, we can advance the therapeutic potential of BCMA CAR-NKT cells and help BrightPath to bring innovative solutions to patients in need.”
The agreement marks a significant step forward in the industry’s pursuit of innovative and effective cell therapies, with both companies committed to advancing healthcare solutions that improve patient outcomes.
About BrightPath Biotherapeutics
BrightPath is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immuno-therapies to transform cancer treatment for refractory or progressive cancers that cannot be treated with conventional standard therapies. BrightPath is actively involved in developing cell therapies, currently in clinical trials, and immunomodulatory antibodies.
For more information, visit www.brightpathbio.com/English
About Cellistic
Cellistic® specializes in process development and manufacture of immune cell therapies based on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology using their Pulse® and Echo® Platform. Its focus and expertise in iPSC reprogramming, gene editing using its proprietary STAR-CRISPR™ technology and differentiation development, positions the company to be the partner of choice for innovative cell therapy developers to advance into clinic. Leveraging more than a decade of scientific and technical knowledge and experience, Cellistic possesses unique capabilities for the design and optimization of proprietary manufacturing platforms for iPSC- based cell therapies.
For more information, visit www.cellistic.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213410573/en/
Contacts
BrightPath Biotherapeutics
Tokyo, Japan
irpr@brightpathbio.com
Cellistic
Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
partnering@cellistic.com
(c) 2024 Business Wire, Inc., All rights reserved.
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in multiplatform press release distribution.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Rapid Medical™’s DISTALS Trial Overwhelmingly Positive, Demonstrating Superior Reperfusion with TIGERTRIEVER™ 13 in Medium Vessel Stroke6.2.2026 20:30:00 CET | Press Release
Rapid Medical™, a leading developer of active endovascular devices, today announced late-breaking results from the DISTALS multicenter, randomized controlled trial showing that TIGERTRIEVER™ 13 achieved superior brain tissue reperfusion with an excellent safety profile when compared with medical management in medium vessel occlusion (MVO) stroke. The findings were presented in the main closing session at the 2026 International Stroke Conference (ISC). Top-line results showed that the TIGERTRIEVER™ 13 arm demonstrated 3x more successful reperfusion without symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) compared to medical management–86.3% vs 27.7% (p < 0.001). Notably, zero sICH events were reported in the randomized treatment arm treated with TIGERTRIEVER 13. By comparison, sICH rates reported with intravenous thrombolysis alone are higher, ranging from 2 – 6% in contemporary trials.1,2,3 “These results highlight what is possible when both the device and the trial are designed specifically
Al Barari Breaks Ground on The Cape, The Final Chapter of a Legacy6.2.2026 15:46:00 CET | Press Release
Al Barari, Dubai’s pioneering nature-led community, has officially marked the groundbreaking of The Cape, its final signature residential development, celebrating two decades of visionary craftsmanship and a continued commitment to creating harmonious living environments rooted in nature. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260206475199/en/ Hazza Zaal, CEO of Al Barari Real Estate Group, alongside the Sales and Construction teams at The Cape Groundbreaking Ceremony, marking a milestone in Al Barari’s final signature development. (Photo: AETOSWire) The milestone ceremony signals the beginning of a landmark chapter for Al Barari, as The Cape represents the culmination of a 20-year legacy defined by intentional design, wellbeing-focused living, and immersive natural landscapes. Located within Dubai’s green heart, The Cape introduces an enriched lifestyle experience surrounded by lush botanical settings, gentle water
Quantfury and Sandwich Launch Commercial Series to Encourage Better Choices in Retail Trading6.2.2026 15:00:00 CET | Press Release
Quantfury Trading Americas Limited (“Quantfury”), a global brokerage offering commission-free trading at real-time spot prices from major exchanges, has partnered with Sandwich, a leading creative agency for tech and product videos, to produce a Social Responsibility Commercial Series. The series of commercials incorporates clear, engaging storytelling to prompt viewers to think about common retail trading behaviors—especially high-energy marketing, gamification of speculation, and heavy focus on potential gains without equal attention to risks—and to choose more thoughtful, informed approaches. Lev Mazur, Founder of Quantfury, said: “It’s a pleasure to work with Sandwich, whose visual storytelling is outstanding. Since day one, Quantfury has aimed to question and improve the standard practices in the global retail trading industry.” Adam Lisagor, Founder of Sandwich, added: “A good investment is a story. Quantfury stood out by wanting to tell a real, interesting story first—rather tha
JSS: 2025 Sake Exports Grew Steadily, Reaching a Record 81 Markets6.2.2026 04:00:00 CET | Press Release
Sake exports continued to expand in 2025 in both value and volume, with export destinations reaching a record 81 countries and regions. Export value increased 6% year on year to 45.9 billion yen, while export volume rose 8% to 33.55 million liters (3.73 million cases on a 9-liter basis), marking the second-highest export performance on record. The average export unit price per 750 ml bottle declined 2% year on year to 1,026 yen. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260205671686/en/ Sake Export Performance by Country (Top 10, 2025) Export value has nearly doubled since 2020, and the CAGR over the past five years reached 14%. This underscores sake’s position as a high-growth category globally. Asia remained the largest export destination, with export value totaling 28.8 billion yen, representing an 8% increase year on year and accounting for 63% of total export value. North America recorded exports of 12.4 billion ye
Canva Brings On-Brand Designs Directly into AI Assistants6.2.2026 00:00:00 CET | Press Release
The future of work is being rewritten by AI, with professionals accomplishing in minutes what used to take hours. But there's been one persistent breaking point in AI assistants: generic visual outputs and off-brand colors that undermine AI speed with tedious manual cleanup. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260205384226/en/ Canva Today, that friction ends as Canva brings brand intelligence directly into the AI tools where modern day work happens most. Starting now, ChatGPT users can create designs completely tied to their Canva Brand Kit, making a company’s brand come to life visually and function as a living participant in AI workflows. This expansion marks the coming together of Canva and ChatGPT, two category-defining platforms, in a new way to make on-brand design more accessible and fluid. From client-ready pitch decks to social posts and professional-looking posters, the partnership continues to fuel Canv
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom