• Evotec gains access to panCELLa’s iPS cell lines known as- iACT Stealth Cells™
• The company will also gain control over FailSafe™- a iPSC derived cell therapy

Evotec SE- a Germany based biotechnology firm has reportedly signed a licensing and investment agreement with panCELLa Inc. – a Canadian innovative biotechnology company.

Reportedly, as per the deal, Evotec is expected to receive a non-exclusive license to use panCELLa’s patented iPS cell lines known as- iACT Stealth Cells™ that is genetically enhanced to stop immune rejection of derived cell therapy products. Evotec has also invested in panCELLa to own a minority stake in the company, appointing a member to its supervisory board as well.

In addition to the above, the German biotech giant will also be able to access hypoimmunogenic cells, a next generation cloaking technology. The FailSafe™ solution meets the challenge in iPSC based cell therapy, which is the probable formation of tumors by remaining undifferentiated cells.

Apparently, with the help of the cell lines, Evotec will gain the ability to develop iPSC-based cell therapies that have long term effectiveness and may be safely administered to a wide base of patients without the use of medicines to need to suppress their immune system.

Notably, with an increase in the number of iPSC- based cell therapy technologies at Evotec, access to research and GMP-grade iPSC lines altered with one or both of the technologies offered by PanCELLa will be available to facilitate the development of novel cell therapy approaches across a wide range of indications by the German company and its potential partners.

In a statement by Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer, Evotec, cell therapies carry the potential to cure a wide range of different diseases with considerable unmet medical needs. Integrating the advanced technology of PanCELLa and cell lines into the current research and development will boost Evotec’s cell therapy offerings. The company primarily aims at rendering safe and reliable cell therapy solutions to a large number of patients, he further added.

According to Mahendra Rao, MD, PhD and panCELLa CEO, Evotec’s product expertise and current range of iPSC-based technology will permit panCELLa to advance its own therapeutic interest in NK cell therapy, iPSC-derived MSC platform and pancreatic islet production at a faster rate along with allowing the company to make its technology widely available.

Source Credits: https://www.evotec.com/en/invest/news--announcements/p/evotec-expands-its-ipsc-based-cell-therapy-platform-evocells-through-licensing-agreement-with-pancella-5921