Press Releases Archives

Durham (RTP), NC – Kincell Bio, a leading US cell therapy CDMO, is excited to announce a partnership with Moonlight Bio, Inc., a Seattle-based biotech company pioneering advanced T cell therapies for solid tumors. In this partnership, Kincell provides CMC development and GMP manufacturing services to advance Moonlight’s lead T cell therapy program into clinic trials.

Under the agreement, Kincell is providing process and analytical transfer and GMP manufacturing services to support the scale-up and clinical supply of Moonlight’s lead T cell therapy product. The collaboration between Moonlight and Kincell is designed to accelerate clinical supply and meet the needs of patients, advancing Kincell’s mission to support innovators in the rapidly growing cell therapy sector.

“At Moonlight, we are dedicated to delivering T cell therapies that address barriers obstructing successful outcomes in solid tumors – the vast majority of the global cancer disease burden,” said Jordan Jarjour, PhD, Moonlight’s CSO. “We are very excited to collaborate with Kincell to advance our lead program into the clinic.”

“I am excited to partner with the team at Moonlight as they develop an innovative cell therapy that has the potential to make a significant impact on patient disease burden. Kincell has a strong and agile team that thrives on finding technical solutions to deliver for our clients and their patients” said Bruce Thompson, PhD.

“We are thrilled to partner with Moonlight, a technology leading cell therapy innovator” said Mark Bamforth. “Kincell excels at finding solutions for CMC development and clinical supply for product innovators, and we are demonstrating these capabilities for Moonlight’s clinical trial.”

Kincell provides industry-leading process and analytical development, and early clinical and late-stage clinical and commercial cGMP manufacturing capabilities that are serving the needs of biotech and pharmaceutical companies and is committed to advancing the field of cell therapy with tailored solutions that empower innovators to bring their therapies to market efficiently and effectively.

About Kincell Bio
Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. With manufacturing facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL, Kincell Bio is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with the mission to streamline CMC development, with expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release from early clinical, to pivotal studies, and product launch. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, TCRs, Tregs and CAR-NK programs, as well as developing expertise in stem cell products and iPSCs. For more information, www.kincellbio.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Moonlight Bio, Inc.
Moonlight Bio, Inc. is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company based in Seattle, WA aiming to develop potency enhanced T cell therapies that provide new hope for patients suffering from cancer. Moonlight’s core technologies were illuminated by nature itself and are designed to confront the disappointing reality that therapies for solid tumors are simply not potent enough to generate the deep and durable responses that patients urgently need. To learn more, connect with Moonlight Bio on LinkedIn and visit us at moonlightbio.us.

Media Contact:
Stewart McNaull, PhD
Chief Commercial Officer
Kincell Bio, Inc.
Email: stewart.mcnaull233@kincellbio.com
Phone: 919-345-7013

Durham, NC – Kincell Bio Inc., a cell therapy contract development and manufacturing organization, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Duke University School of Medicine. The collaboration is designed to accelerate innovation in cell and gene therapy research, strengthen translational pathways, and support the development of scalable and efficient manufacturing solutions for advanced biologics.

Under the agreement, Kincell Bio and Duke will jointly pursue opportunities to align academic discovery with industrial expertise. The partnership will be guided by a joint steering committee, co-chaired by Bruce Thompson, Ph.D., chief technology officer at Kincell Bio, and Beth Shaz, M.D., deputy director of the Marcus Center for Cellular Cures (MC3) and Professor of Pathology at Duke.

The committee will oversee initiatives that include:

Program referral and cross-support between Kincell Bio and MC3, enabling seamless coordination of clinical trial design, donor screening, regulatory submissions, clinical and commercial-scale development, and manufacturing.
Joint evaluation of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in process optimization, predictive analytics, and clinical data integration.
Support for translational research, including co-development of enabling tools, joint grant applications, and the organization of academic–industry educational forums.

“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to building an integrated biotech ecosystem in North Carolina and beyond,” said Thompson. “We look forward to accelerating the path from discovery to patient impact.”

“We want to bring innovative therapies closer to the patients who need them,” said Shaz. “Integrating tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning into our research workflows allows us to advance translational science and create new pathways for faculty innovations to achieve clinical impact and improve patient outcomes.”

The collaboration positions Kincell Bio at the forefront of innovation in cellular therapies, with opportunities to expand into areas such as regulatory strategy, advanced analytics, and scalable biomanufacturing.

About Kincell Bio, Inc.

Kincell Bio is a cell therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL focused on advancing next-generation cell and gene therapy solutions. Kincell Bio has a mission to streamline CMC development, apply expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release from early clinical to pivotal studies and product launch. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, TCRs, TILs, Tregs and CAR-NK programs, as well as developing expertise in stem cell products and iPSCs. Through its integrated capabilities in advanced manufacturing, analytics, and translational support, Kincell Bio partners with leading institutions and innovators to accelerate the delivery of transformative therapies to patients worldwide. For more information, visit www.Kincellbio.com.

Media Contact:
Stewart McNaull, PhD
Chief Commercial Officer
Kincell Bio, Inc.
Email: stewart.mcnaull233@kincellbio.com
Phone: 919-345-7013

May 15, 2025 – Research Triangle Park, NC – Kincell Bio announced the completion of a $22 million round, led by a new investor, NewSpring Capital through its dedicated healthcare strategy, NewSpring Healthcare, which invests in innovative companies in the lower-middle market that improve the delivery of healthcare or bend the cost curve through technology and human capital efficiencies. The round was also led by existing investor, Kineticos Life Sciences, an operationally focused private equity firm specializing in private investments across pharma services tools and equipment, and other existing investors.

Kincell Bio is a scientifically focused, cell therapy development and manufacturing company. This funding marks a significant milestone in Kincell Bio’s mission to transform the delivery of advanced cell therapies to patients worldwide. As part of this strategic partnership, Pete Buzy, former President and CEO of Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy, has been appointed to Kincell Bio’s Board of Directors.

This new investment will accelerate Kincell Bio’s expansion of its cGMP capabilities, enhance its process development services, and support the development of innovative solutions tailored to emerging cell therapy companies. With the cell and gene therapy market projected to surpass $23 billion globally by 2028, this infusion of capital positions Kincell Bio as a leader in the next generation of biomanufacturing.

“We are excited to partner with the experienced team at NewSpring and to have them join our existing investors to support Kincell Bio, as we continue to scale our operations and deliver high-quality, flexible, and scalable solutions to our partners in the cell therapy space,” said Mark R. Bamforth, CEO of Kincell Bio. “Adding Pete Buzy to our board brings unparalleled insight into the complexities and opportunities within the advanced therapies sector and we are excited to partner with him and the NewSpring team.”

Pete Buzy brings over two decades of leadership in advanced biologics, having played a key role in building Catalent’s cell and gene therapy platform into one of the industry’s most advanced development and manufacturing organizations. Prior to that, he led one of NewSpring Healthcare’s portfolio companies, Paragon Bioservices, a contract development and manufacturing company focused on gene therapies. His appointment underscores Kincell Bio’s commitment to operational excellence and long-term growth.

“Kincell Bio is bringing the right focus, flexibility, and scientific rigor to a market that’s evolving rapidly,” said Pete Buzy. “I’m looking forward to supporting this team as they expand their capabilities for the next generation of cell therapy innovators. My history with NewSpring goes back more than a decade, including our work together at Paragon Bioservices, and I’ve seen firsthand how the right partnership can accelerate growth.”

Kapila Ratnam, Ph.D., NewSpring General Partner with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry adds, “Cell therapy is revolutionizing medicine, and we see Kincell Bio as a uniquely positioned CDMO with a clear vision and a leadership team capable of executing. Our investment and Pete’s Board appointment reflect our confidence in the company’s potential to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of cell therapy manufacturing, and further highlights NewSpring’s approach of pairing capital with strategic and operating expertise.”

“We are thrilled to welcome NewSpring as a trusted partner,” said Shailesh Maingi, Founder and Managing Partner at Kineticos Life Sciences. “Their shared commitment to mission‑driven investing perfectly aligns with our vision of supporting innovative cell therapy companies. We look forward to working alongside Mark Bamforth and the entire Kincell Bio team to accelerate the development and delivery of life‑saving therapies, ensuring patients benefit from these breakthroughs as quickly and safely as possible.”

Kincell Bio’s platform offers clients a personalized, responsive, and expert-driven approach to process development and manufacturing from early clinical to pivotal supply and commercial launch, ensuring rapid timelines without compromising on quality.

About Kincell Bio
Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. With manufacturing facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL, Kincell Bio is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with the mission to streamline CMC development, apply expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release from early clinical to pivotal studies and product launch. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, CAR-NK and CAR-M programs, as well as developing expertise in stem cell products and iPSCs. For more information, visit www.kincellbio.com.

About NewSpring Capital
NewSpring is a lower-middle market focused private equity firm that partners with the innovators, makers, and operators of high-performing companies in dynamic industries to catalyze new growth and seize compelling opportunities. The Firm manages over $3.5 billion across five distinct strategies covering the spectrum from growth equity and control buyouts to mezzanine debt. Having completed over 250 investments, NewSpring brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and resources to take growing companies to the next level and beyond. To learn more, visit www.newspringcapital.com.

About Kineticos Life Sciences
Kineticos envisions a world without cancer, rare diseases and antimicrobial resistance. We are a team of entrepreneurs, operators, and investors that seek to partner with leading management teams to build the backbone of innovation, Pharma Services, Tools and Equipment companies. Kineticos invests in differentiated companies, combining our deep sector expertise and proven playbook to grow these companies from niche or regional players into global leaders.

Media Contact:

Stewart McNaull, PhD,
Chief Commercial Officer,
stewart.mcnaull233@kincellbio.com

Annie Caucci
Director of Marketing
acaucci@newspringcapital.com

Preferred Partner Network (PPN) members will become Centers of Excellence for the IRO^®platform combining best-in-class technology with industry-leading development and manufacturing capabilities.

PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, United Kingdom, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oribiotech Ltd. (Ori), a leader in cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing technology, today announced the launch of its Preferred Partner Network (PPN), bringing together top academic medical centers (AMCs) and contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) to deliver best-in-class solutions to accelerate development and commercialization of cell and gene therapies. The founding members of the Ori Preferred Partner Network in the U.S. include Charles River Laboratories, CTMC (a joint venture between MD Anderson Cancer Center and Resilience), ElevateBio, Kincell and other currently undisclosed partners.

For leading service providers developing and manufacturing cell therapies, PPN membership offers a unique opportunity to develop core expertise with the new IRO^® platform to accelerate cell therapy product development. This partnership approach helps ensure that Ori and their PPN partners remain at the cutting edge of cell therapy manufacturing innovation, offering access to proven, best-in-class solutions to meet the evolving needs of their shared customers.

“By partnering with the top academic institutions and CDMOs globally, Ori is helping to deliver proven solutions that speed time to clinic, reduce comparability risk, and shorten development timelines. The PPN enhances the flexibility of therapy developers to choose both best-of-breed technologies and service providers to deliver on their program goals,” said Jason C. Foster, CEO, Ori Biotech. “End-to-end solution providers often try to lock developers in, restricting flexibility, which is the opposite of what we need at this critical juncture for the industry.”

PPN members gain preferred access to Ori innovations, including the IRO platform, which has demonstrated the ability to increase throughput, reduce costs of goods (COGs), and accelerate development timelines. IRO was designed to deliver flexible solutions by efficiently integrating with other best-in-breed upstream and downstream technologies providing a streamlined and closed workflow to achieve optimal clinical and commercial success.

Recently announced technology partnerships, like with Fresenius Kabi, alongside the launch of the PPN, mark a significant step forward in Ori’s mission to enable widespread patient access to life-saving cell and gene therapies. Ori will continue to ensure that therapy developer partners have access to both best-in-class technology and service partners in the U.S. and internationally to ensure the next generation of CGTs can realize their full clinical and commercial potential.

Partner Quotes:

“Ori’s mission mirrors our own: expedite the delivery of life-saving therapies to patients,” said Matthew Hewitt, B.A. PhD, Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Manufacturing Business Division, Charles River. “By joining Ori’s Preferred Partner Network, we can support the advanced therapies industry by helping to drive the adoption of cutting-edge closed and automated platforms, and address manufacturing bottlenecks.”

“CTMC provides comprehensive solutions to our academic and biotech partners, enabling seamless translation from concept to clinic,” said Jason Bock, CEO, CTMC. “By integrating the automated capabilities of Ori Biotech’s IRO^® platform, we enhance our technology offerings, streamlining cell therapy manufacturing and accelerating the path to patients.”

“ElevateBio is constantly evaluating innovative technologies that drive process improvements and efficiencies to complement the highly digital infrastructure we have built to scale across our facilities,” said Michael Paglia, Chief Technology Officer, ElevateBio BaseCamp. “Through the Ori Preferred Partner Network, we are able to offer our partners the necessary technologies and service solutions to accelerate development, manufacturing and their path to commercialization.”

“As the cell therapy field matures, innovative technologies that simplify the manufacturing of these complex therapies and reduce the cost of goods will enable broad distribution of these life-saving medicines,” said Bruce Thompson, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, Kincell Bio. “Kincell Bio is excited to partner with Ori Biotech as they launch the IRO^® platform to help our partners and clients ensure their cell therapy products reach patients in need.”

For more information about the IRO platform, visit oribiotech.com/IRO.

About Ori Biotech
Ori Biotech is a London and Philadelphia-based manufacturing technology company on a mission to enable widespread patient access to life-saving cell and gene therapies. IRO^®, Ori’s next-generation manufacturing platform automates better biology, accelerates product development and enables therapy developers to scale their products’ clinical and commercial impact by seamlessly transitioning from R&D to GMP on one platform. The promise of the innovative Ori platform is to automate cell therapy manufacturing, increasing throughput, improving quality and decreasing costs by combining proprietary hardware, consumables, software, data and analytics.

March 17, 2025 (Research Triangle Park, NC): Kincell Bio, a leader in cell therapy development and manufacturing, is excited to announce the appointment of Larry Pitcher as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Larry brings extensive experience in the advanced therapies Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) space, having had P&L responsibility, deep operational experience including facility expansions and key leadership roles.

Most recently, Larry was VP and GM for Catalent’s Gene Therapy Sites in MD, their largest operation, which accounted for a significant share of the company’s annual revenue. While at Catalent, Larry scaled commercial manufacturing and operations, enhanced customer satisfaction, and drove double-digit growth in both revenue and profitability while expanding both clinical and commercial programs. Previously, Larry was at Thermo Fisher where he established a growing presence in advanced therapies across a network of sites including a new mRNA business in Italy, a cell therapy business and clinical and commercial microbial and plasmid DNA services in the U.S.

Earlier in his career, Larry was GM and site head for Brammer Bio’s viral vector business, general manager at RTI Surgical’s German and French operations, and held various operational roles in Florida. Larry earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Western Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Florida.

“Larry joins the senior leadership team at Kincell Bio at a critical moment when client programs are moving into pivotal clinical studies and we are preparing for their near-term product launches at our RTP, NC site as well as expanding our process and analytical development and early clinical supply from our Gainesville, FL site,” said Mark R. Bamforth, CEO of Kincell Bio.

“I am delighted to join Kincell, which has a clear focus on solving technical challenges for their cell therapy clients, ensuring reliable supply, and ultimately supporting patients in need through operational excellence,” said Larry Pitcher, COO at Kincell Bio.

Kincell Bio is committed to advancing the field of cell therapy with tailored solutions that empower innovators to bring their therapies to market efficiently and effectively.

About Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. With manufacturing facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL, Kincell Bio is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with the mission to streamline CMC development, apply expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release from early clinical to pivotal studies and product launch. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, CAR-NK and CAR-M programs, as well as developing expertise in stem cell products and iPSCs. For more information, visit www.kincellbio.com.

For further information, please contact info@kincellbio.com

Research Triangle Park, NC, Jaunary 20, 2025: Kincell Bio, a leader in cell therapy development and manufacturing, is excited to announce the appointment of Mark R. Bamforth as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Mark, who has served as Chair of the Board since May 2024, brings decades of industry experience to the role and will play a pivotal part in advancing Kincell Bio’s mission to support innovators in the rapidly growing cell therapy sector.

Mark joins Kincell Bio with a wealth of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having founded and served as CEO of three successful Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMO): Arranta Bio, Brammer Bio and Gallus Bio. His deep understanding of the CDMO landscape and ability to develop strong partnerships to meet clients’ needs uniquely positions him to drive strategic initiatives that align with Kincell Bio’s mission of delivering high-quality, innovative solutions for clients. Previously, Mark spent 22 years at Genzyme Corp. including leadership of the global operations team, covering multiple modalities.

Bruce Thompson, PhD, will continue to provide technical leadership for Kincell Bio as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), including leadership of the internal process and analytical development team, strengthening expertise in developing modalities, (e.g., allogeneic therapies, stem cell and iPSC-derived products), partnering with solution providers, providing thought leadership to the sector based on his extensive knowledge and experience, and supporting the commercial team under the leadership of Stewart McNaull, PhD, to develop technical solutions to meet the needs of clients.

“I look forward to building on the solid foundation that Bruce has established and working more deeply with him and the talented team at Kincell Bio to expand our cell therapy CDMO business to meet the development, clinical and commercial launch needs of clients from innovative biotechs to Fortune 500-backed companies that are developing solutions to address critical unmet needs for patients,” said Mark Bamforth.

“I am excited to partner with Mark to strengthen the technical development capabilities at Kincell Bio. We have built a strong team and will now be better positioned to meet the cell therapy needs of clients” said Bruce Thompson, PhD. “We are committed to expanding our process and analytical development capabilities through internal development and partnerships with technology and solution providers, to solve the challenges of scale, complexity and performance in the cell therapy sector.”

Kincell Bio provides industry-leading process and analytical development, and early clinical and late-stage clinical cGMP manufacturing capabilities that are serving the needs of biotech and pharmaceutical companies and is committed to advancing the field of cell therapy with tailored solutions that empower innovators to bring their therapies to market efficiently and effectively.

About Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. With manufacturing facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL, Kincell is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) situated in the United States. Kincell Bio’s mission is to streamline CMC development, with expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release from early clinical to pivotal studies and product launch. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, CAR-NK and CAR-M programs, as well as developing expertise in stem cell products and iPSCs. For more information, visit www.kincellbio.com.

For further information, please contact us via email at contactus@kincellbio.com

Experienced commercial leader joins Kincell to support client solutions

DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kincell Bio, a leader in cell therapy development and manufacturing, is excited to announce the appointment of Stewart McNaull, PhD, as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). With extensive experience in the advance therapies Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) space and a robust technical background, Stewart will play a pivotal role in steering Kincell Bio’s growth trajectory and enhancing our commitment to serving cell therapy innovators and the patients who ultimately benefit from these groundbreaking therapies.

Dr. McNaull joins Kincell Bio with 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having held key commercial leadership positions at Wheeler Bio, Resilience, KBI, Fujifilm and Bayer. His deep understanding of the CDMO landscape and ability to craft technical and business solutions that address clients’ needs uniquely position him to deliver high-quality, innovative solutions for clients.

“I am thrilled to join the highly talented team to advance Kincell’s cell therapy service offerings,” said Stewart McNaull, PhD. “It is refreshing to return to the cell therapy space where my knowledge of CMC development can help design technical and business solutions that uniquely advance our clients’ products to the clinic.”

Kincell Bio is committed to advancing the field of cell therapy with tailored solutions that empower innovators to bring their therapies to market efficiently and effectively. Stewart’s addition as CCO marks a significant step in Kincell’s growth journey dedicated to supporting the evolving needs of the industry and scaling the business to meet the needs of our clients.

“Stewart’s extensive background in both commercial leadership and technical operations makes him an invaluable addition to our team,” said Bruce Thompson, PhD, CEO of Kincell Bio. “As we continue to expand our capabilities and enhance our service offerings, Stewart’s insights and industry relationships will be instrumental in fostering partnerships that drive success for our clients and improve outcomes for patients.”

About Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. With manufacturing facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL, Kincell is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) situated in the United States. Kincell Bio’s mission is to streamline CMC development, with expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release from early clinical to pivotal studies and product launch. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, CAR-NK and CAR-M programs.

Media contact:
For further information, please contact Stewart McNaull at Stewart.McNaull233@kincellbio.com or (919) 345-7013.

New contract reinforces Kincell Bio’s commitment to long-term partnerships to address development and GMP manufacturing support for engineered cellular therapies.

Gainesville, Florida (September 16, 2024) – Kincell Bio, a cell therapy-focused cGMP contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced that it has welcomed a new client for the production of a cell therapy product to address degenerative disease.

The agreement represents a multi-year partnership to produce patient-specific batches of clinical-grade product at its site in Gainesville, Florida. The multi-year contract adds to the work for other clients already in progress at the site.

“We’re delighted to welcome another client to our Gainesville facility,” said Bruce Thompson, PhD., CEO of Kincell Bio. “Our facility is GMP-ready, and our team thrives on providing critical CMC development and manufacturing expertise to support our clients’ clinical development plans to help patients.”

The client is a clinical stage cell therapy company pursuing regenerative medicine in a variety of critical indications. This project reflects Kincell Bio’s expanding portfolio, reinforcing its position as a strong partner in the cell therapy CDMO space.

About Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. A technology-forward contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), Kincell has facilities in both Gainesville, FL and Durham, NC. Kincell was formed to streamline analytical development, process development, CMC consulting and early-stage through registrational GMP cell therapy manufacturing. For more information, visit www.kincellbio.com.

Business & Media Enquiries
Bruce Thompson, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
contactus@kincellbio.com

New contract reinforces Kincell Bio’s commitment to long-term partnerships to address development and GMP manufacturing support for engineered cellular therapies.

Durham, North Carolina (September 4, 2024) – Kincell Bio, a technology-forward cell therapy cGMP contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced that it has welcomed a new partner for the production of early-phase clinical material of an allogeneic cell therapy product. This contract follows the acquisition of the GMP-ready facility in April 2024 and augments the manufacturing activities already occurring at the site. The agreement represents a multi-year relationship and strongly validates the team’s competency in allogeneic cell therapy production and release.

The partner is a leading biotechnology company known for pioneering advancements in novel biologic medicines. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to driving innovation in the development and manufacturing of cutting-edge therapies aimed at addressing unmet medical needs.

“Kincell Bio continues to build meaningful partnerships with our customers, providing critical CMC development and manufacturing expertise to support their clinical trials”, said Bruce Thompson, PhD., CEO of Kincell Bio. “Our entire team is energized to support innovative approaches that help bring new cellular therapies to market and help patients.”

This new contract exemplifies Kincell Bio’s ongoing efforts to expand its portfolio of partnerships and enhance its manufacturing capabilities, reinforcing its position as a strong partner in the cell therapy CDMO space.

About Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio engineers cells into therapies. With manufacturing facilities located in Research Triangle Park, NC and Gainesville, FL, Kincell is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) situated in the Southeastern United States. Kincell Bio’s mission is to streamline CMC development, with expertise in analytical and process development and GMP manufacturing, testing and release. Kincell Bio is focused on supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, CAR-NK and CAR-M programs. For more information, visit www.kincellbio.com.

Business & Media Enquiries
Bruce Thompson, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
contactus@kincellbio.com

Serial entrepreneur has created, built and sold three CDMOs

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – May 21, 2024 – Kincell Bio, LLC (“Kincell”), a technology-forward contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focused on cell therapies, today announced the appointment of Mark R. Bamforth as the Company’s new Board Chairman. This strategic appointment further strengthens Kincell’s position as the Company continues to expand its capacity to provide high-quality support for the cell therapy market. Mr. Bamforth will replace the current Board Chairman, Shailesh Maingi, who will remain on the Board.

“In advanced biopharmaceutical manufacturing, Mark has a demonstrated ability to scale best-in-class CDMOs with high performing teams that have been market leaders in the cell and gene therapy, microbiome and monoclonal antibody sectors,” said Mr. Maingi. “As he takes on the role of Board Chairman at Kincell, his wealth of experience and strategic vision plus his commitment to scientific excellence, has the potential to propel the Company to new heights and to deliver cell therapies to clients and their patients.”

A serial entrepreneur with decades of experience building value in biotech, Mr. Bamforth has founded, built and sold three CDMOs. He currently invests in and mentors U.S.- and Scottish-based life science entrepreneurs in addition to serving as a general partner in an antimicrobial resistance fund. In May 2019, Mr. Bamforth founded Arranta Bio, an advanced therapeutics CDMO focused on the microbiome, plasmid and mRNA vaccines, which was sold to Recipharm in April 2022. Prior, he founded Brammer Bio, a best-in-class viral vector CDMO for cell and gene therapies that supported leading innovators. Brammer’s team grew six-fold, reaching over 600 employees at the time of its acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific in April 2019. In 2010, Mr. Bamforth founded a biologics CDMO, Gallus BioPharmaceuticals, and acquired a world-class facility and team with a commercial supply agreement with Janssen. The Company tripled through organic growth and merged with Laureate Biopharma, before being sold to DPx Holdings (Patheon) in 2014. Mr. Bamforth spent 22 years at Genzyme, with nearly a decade as a corporate officer leading the Company’s 12-site global manufacturing operation and a pharmaceutical CMO unit. He serves on the boards of Continuus Pharma, Pneumagen, Enterobiotix and Entrepreneurial Scotland. Mr. Bamforth has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Strathclyde University and an MBA from Henley Management College.

“I’m excited to leverage my experience to help guide the leadership team at Kincell as they continue expanding Kincell’s cell engineering footprint in the delivery of transformative healthcare solutions for clients. The Company’s dedication to innovation, process development and manufacturing excellence resonates deeply with me,” said Mr. Bamforth. “Together, we will accelerate the adoption of our clients’ cell therapies, harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology to revolutionize patient care through personalized medicine.”

About Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio, LLC (“Kincell” or the “Company”) engineers cells into therapies. The Company is a technology-forward contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) formed tostreamline analytical development, process development, CMC consulting and GMP manufacturing for cellular therapies. With facilities in Gainesville, Fla. to support early clinical supply production and in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina with a phase II/III facility to support late-stage development, Kincell’s focus is on the development and manufacturing of immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T, CAR-NK and CAR-M programs for clients. For more information, visit www.kincellbio.com.

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Media Contact

Gina Mangiaracina

6 Degrees

Email: gmangiaracina@6degreespr.com

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