Sartorius Stedim Biotech has agreed to invest $3m in Nanotein Technologies, a US-based company engaged in the development of advanced immune cell activation reagents.
The collaboration will bolster the commercialisation and joint development of solutions based on Nanotein's NanoSpark platform, which is pivotal for advancing cell therapies.
As per the exclusive distribution agreement, Sartorius will provide global customers access to two of Nanotein’s products - the NanoSpark STEM-T Soluble T Cell Activator and NanoSpark GROW-NK Soluble Activator.
Both innovative reagents are crucial for enhancing T cells and natural killer (NK) cells' expansion, which are integral components in various cell therapy applications such as Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) and NK-based cancer treatments.
Nanotein Technologies co-founder and CEO Curtis Hodge said: “Nanotein’s soluble activators are designed to improve cell therapy expansion by enhancing the quality and quantity of T cells and providing a feeder-free soluble activator for NK cell activation and expansion, addressing critical challenges in the manufacturing process.”
Successful development of effective cell therapies begins with the activation of immune cells, which is essential for their expansion and the generation of substantial quantities of high-quality cells. However, developers encounter several challenges during this process, including dependence on feeder cells and variability in yields.
The collaboration extends beyond product distribution. Both companies will work together using the NanoSpark technology to develop additional products to meet demands within the fast-growing cell and gene therapy markets.
Sartorius Stedim Biotech CEO René Fáber stated: “This partnership will provide our customers with access to some of the most promising new tools for simplifying workflows and improving immune cell manufacturing.
“Together with Nanotein, we’re enabling cell therapy manufacturers to innovate with greater speed and confidence - from early process development to the clinic.”
In April 2023, Sartorius, via its French subsidiary Sartorius Stedim Biotech, announced an agreement to acquire Polyplus for €2.4bn ($2.6bn).
This acquisition will integrate Polyplus into the German life science group's portfolio, enabling Sartorius to enhance its capabilities in transfection reagents and plasmid DNA for gene therapy applications.
