Clinical Report: Bristol Myers Ends Cellares Manufacturing Agreement

Overview

Bristol Myers Squibb has terminated its partnership with Cellares for the manufacturing of CAR T-cell therapy Breyanzi, citing that Cellares’ Cell Shuttle platform did not meet the necessary requirements. This decision will lead to approximately 100 job cuts at Cellares’ facility in South San Francisco.

Background

The partnership between Bristol Myers Squibb and Cellares was established to enhance the commercial-scale manufacturing of Breyanzi, a CAR T-cell therapy indicated for certain types of lymphoma. The termination of this agreement raises questions regarding the manufacturing capabilities for CAR T therapies.

Data Highlights

No numerical data or trial data were provided in the source material.

Key Findings

• Bristol Myers Squibb ended its manufacturing agreement with Cellares for Breyanzi.
• The agreement was valued at up to $380 million and included manufacturing capacity in the US, EU, and Japan.
• Cellares disputes Bristol Myers' assessment of its Cell Shuttle platform's capabilities.
• The termination will result in approximately 100 job cuts at Cellares.
• Breyanzi is a CD19-directed autologous CAR T-cell therapy with specific FDA indications.

Clinical Implications

The end of this partnership may impact the availability of Breyanzi for patients requiring CAR T-cell therapy.

Conclusion

The termination of the partnership between Bristol Myers Squibb and Cellares highlights the complexities involved in manufacturing standards for CAR T-cell therapies.

Related Resources & Content

1. Bristol Myers Squibb, This Week’s CGT News, 2024 -- Bristol Myers Ends Cellares Manufacturing Agreement
2. the medicine maker — Outsourcing-In-Brief
3. the medicine maker — This Week’s CGT News: Adaptimmune Therapeutics to Restructure After Acquisition
4. the medicine maker — Business-in-Brief
5. BREYANZI | FDA
6. Large B‐cell lymphoma (LBCL): EHA Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and follow‐up - Thieblemont - 2025 - HemaSphere - Wiley Online Library
7. Lisocabtagene Maraleucel Versus Standard of Care for Second-Line Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: 3-Year Follow-Up From the Randomized, Phase III TRANSFORM Study | Journal of Clinical Oncology
8. Lisocabtagene maraleucel for R/R LBCL in patients not intended for HSCT: final results of the phase 2 PILOT study - PMC
9. Lisocabtagene maraleucel in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (TRANSCEND FL): primary analysis results from the global, multicohort, single-arm, phase 2 study - PubMed
10. Lisocabtagene maraleucel in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (TRANSCEND CLL 004): a multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 1–2 study - PMC
11. ASTCT Consensus Grading for Cytokine Release Syndrome and Neurologic Toxicity Associated with Immune Effector Cells - Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation