Glycostem Therapeutics B.V., a leading clinical-stage company focused on the development of therapeutic allogeneic off-the-shelf Natural Killer (NK) cells, has entered into an agreement with Cleveland Cord Blood Center’s state-of-the-art Cleveland Cell Therapy Incubator (CCTI). CCTI is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cleveland Cord Blood Center. The contractual relationship with CCTI and Glycostem Therapeutics was finalized in the third quarter of 2021.
CCTI will supply Glycostem Therapeutics with clinical-grade liquid cord blood units to be used in the development of cellular immunotherapy cancer treatments. In the past, CCBC has used or distributed liquid cord blood (“fresh”) units for nonclinical research and development only. For this new supply chain, CCTI is now including additional testing and required intensive reviews to ensure the liquid cord blood units may be released for use as input material for clinical-grade manufacturing.
“Glycostem Therapeutics is a European entity interested in entering the U.S. market. They preferred to work with an FDA-licensed U.S. cord blood bank for sourcing of this material, which we are,” said Wouter Van’t Hof, Director, Cord Blood Bank and CEO, Cleveland Cell Therapy Incubator. “The Glycostem contract is an example of how we are beginning to engage with new partners on future development programs to take CCTI to a new level.”
“We are very pleased that we have been able to initiate cooperation with CCBC,” said Troels Jordansen, CEO of Glycostem Therapeutics. “We experienced a very motivated, experienced and effective organization in all of our dealings and are looking forward to see our two organizations grow in years to come.”