Servier, an international pharmaceutical company, and Yposkesi, a CDMO for gene therapy viral vector manufacturing, have signed a manufacturing service agreement under which Yposkesi has been selected to develop and GMP manufacture lentiviral vectors to support allogenic CAR-T cell technology development.

Servier will have access to Yposkesi’s know-how and technology for manufacturing lentiviral vectors, as well as its analytical development and quality assessment resources and capacity. Yposkesi has expertise in lentivirus manufacturing with several dozen batches used in clinical trials both in Europe and the U.S.

This partnership has the potential for a longer-term lentiviral vector provision agreement, as Servier progresses towards commercialization.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Yposkesi, whose ability to produce the highest quality of lentiviral vectors in the most robust and sustainable way is in line with the stringent requirements for the industrial production of allogenic CAR-T cell therapy,” said Pierre Venesque, executive vice president industry at Servier. “Allogenic CAR-T cell therapy is a promising new technology with an amazing potential to treat cancer patients.”

“Yposkesi is delighted to partner with Servier and bring a meaningful contribution to making its therapeutic innovations a reality for patients,” said Dr. Frederic Revah, chairman of Yposkesi. “Manufacturing is a critical element in the development of gene therapies, where expertise and available capacity are key factors in allowing patient access to these treatments. We aim to deliver true industrial expertise, innovation and support services to accelerate development of these innovative treatments.”