AGC Biologics Expands Cell Therapy Development Operations to Asia
AGC Biologics began its cell therapy process development and clinical manufacturing services on July 1, 2025, at its Yokohama Technical Center in Japan. This expansion marks a significant step in the company’s global growth strategy, extending its cell and gene therapy capabilities across three continents: Europe, North America, and Asia.
This new site precedes the opening of a new AGC Biologics Yokohama manufacturing facility on schedule to be operational in 2027 with pre-clinical through commercial services for mammalian-based protein biologics, cell therapies, and messenger RNA.
The Yokohama location will provide process transfer and manufacturing services for pre-clinical and clinical trials to serve an expanding global cell therapy market. Its core technologies include induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and CAR-T cell therapies. AGC Biologics Cell and Gene Technology Center of Excellence in Milan, with its nine product approvals by the EMA and FDA, hundreds of batches manufactured, and 30-year track record, will support and enable the successful ramp up of operation in the new Yokohama site.
“In a cell and gene therapy market of high volatility and witnessing consolidation of CDMOs, AGC Biologics is among the few experiencing significant growth and success. We are now building on this success to complete the vision of having a truly global offering,” said Luca Alberici, Executive Vice President of Global Cell and Gene Technologies at AGC Biologics. “Now Asian developers can benefit from having a local supply within one of the best global infrastructures on the market for cell therapy. Moreover, customers can continue to leverage the offering of viral vector central supply in our Milan facility, which supplies around a third of the ex vivo gene therapy product approved for commercialization. AGC Biologics, through its proprietary ProntoLVV and BravoAAV platforms, aims to offer viral vectors at a sustainable cost for its clients targeting less than €1,000 per CAR-T patient.”
“Our team of friendly experts in Milan have a strong reputation for collaboration and working side-by-side with customers to achieve clinical, late-phase, and commercial successes,” said Jun Takami, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Japan Region and Yokohama Facility. “As part of this next major phase for cell therapy in the region, our Yokohama team is ready to support partners in accelerating drug development timelines while maintaining the highest quality standards in the industry."
