02.05.2022 • Newscancer

Achilles Therapeutics Expands in UK, USA

UK biopharma Achilles Therapeutics has announced its intention to expand clinical manufacturing capacity in Stevenage, UK, and Pennsylvania, USA.

The company’s Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult site in the UK has been granted a manufacturing license from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and is now GMP certified to produce clinical-grade doses of its personalized clonal neoantigen-reactive T cell product candidate, known as cNeT. The additional peak capacity of up to 600 doses per year will support clinical manufacture in two ongoing Phase I/IIa trials in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and recurrent or metastatic melanoma.

In addition, a second GMP manufacturing site at Catapult will initially support Achilles’ proprietary Velos manufacturing process with an annual capacity of 200 cNeT doses at peak production.

Separately, Achilles has entered into a partnership agreement for clinical manufacturing with the Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM), a CDMO based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The GMP facility, which will be Achilles’ first in the US, will have an initial annual capacity of between 150 and 200 doses at peak production. It will be operated by CBM.

“This significant scale up in annual capacity and expansion of our global clinical manufacturing footprint, with our second site in the UK and our first site to be established in the US, significantly strengthens our global clinical, technical, and supply chain operations,” said Edward Samuel, executive vice president of technical operations at Achilles Therapeutics.

Achilles is developing precision T cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens – protein markers unique to the individual that are expressed on the surface of every cancer cell. The London-based firm uses DNA sequencing data from each patient, together with its proprietary Peleus bioinformatics platform, to identify clonal neoantigens specific to that patient and develop precision T cell-based product candidates specifically targeting those clonal neoantigens.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist

Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash
Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash

Whitepaper

Excellence in Pharmaceutical Distribution and The Critical Role of Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
Setting the Standard

Excellence in Pharmaceutical Distribution and The Critical Role of Good Distribution Practice (GDP)

Are you ready to elevate your pharmaceutical operations? Download our exclusive whitepaper and discover how compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is essential for the safety and integrity of pharmaceuticals.

Innovation Pitch

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences
Discover Tomorrow’s Innovators

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences

CHEManager Innovation Pitch supports innovation in the chemistry and life sciences start-up scene. The platform allows founders, young entrepreneurs, and start-ups to present their companies to the industry.