Century Therapeutics and Outpace Bio Enter Research Collaboration in CAR Engineering
Collaboration enables Century to explore Outpace’s protein solutions for cell therapy to enhance functionality of iPSC platform
Initial program to focus on hematological malignancies with option to expand to additional candidates
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Century Therapeutics (NASDAQ: IPSC), an innovative biotechnology company developing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell therapies in immuno-oncology, and Outpace Bio, a cutting-edge biotechnology company building a platform to create next-generation smart cell therapies today announced a research collaboration in CAR engineering.
The collaboration will bring together Century’s CAR and protein engineering expertise with Outpace’s protein design and synthetic biology capabilities to enhance CAR functionality by combining Outpace’s optimized CAR spacer technology with Century’s VHH domain binders.
“As an emerging leader in iPSC-based cell therapy, investing in cutting edge cell engineering technologies is central to our approach to develop transformational next generation allogeneic cell therapies,” said Lalo Flores, Chief Executive Officer, Century Therapeutics. “The collaboration with Outpace will further enhance our protein engineering capabilities and potentially accelerate development of our proprietary next generation CARs.”
“We are excited to work together with Century to create highly optimized CARs for their exciting iPSC-based cell therapies,” said Marc Lajoie, CEO, and co-founder of Outpace. “This collaboration provides an ideal opportunity to accelerate the impact of Outpace’s spacer technology, which is part of our broader platform to enhance T cell therapies, and in turn Outpace’s protein design capabilities offer improved functionality and optionality to Century’s iPSC platform and product candidates.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Outpace will bring forward its spacer library and generate an in vitro data package of binder-spacer combinations for Century approval and selection of a candidate. Century will assess functionality in indication-relevant tumor models in vitro and in vivo.
About Century Therapeutics
Century Therapeutics (NASDAQ: IPSC) is harnessing the power of adult stem cells to develop curative cell therapy products for cancer that we believe will allow us to overcome the limitations of first-generation cell therapies. Our genetically engineered, iPSC-derived iNK and iT cell product candidates are designed to specifically target hematologic and solid tumor cancers. We are leveraging our expertise in cellular reprogramming, genetic engineering, and manufacturing to develop therapies with the potential to overcome many of the challenges inherent to cell therapy and provide a significant advantage over existing cell therapy technologies. We believe our commitment to developing off-the-shelf cell therapies will expand patient access and provide an unparalleled opportunity to advance the course of cancer care. For more information on Century Therapeutics please visit www.centurytx.com.
About Outpace Bio
Outpace Bio is creating next generation smart cell therapies using groundbreaking protein design and synthetic biology to reprogram how cells function and make decisions. Outpace collaborates with industry leaders to dramatically improve the safety and efficacy of cell and gene therapies, combining Outpace’s mechanism-driven solutions with partners’ biological insights, development capabilities, and clinical expertise to accelerate the discovery of curative therapies. With roots from David Baker’s Lab at the University of Washington and Lyell Immunopharma, Outpace’s versatile platform combines the design of improved biological functions with powerful cellular control modalities, harnessing the full complexity of cellular biology to tackle incurable disease. For more information visit outpacebio.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @OutpaceBio.
Century Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of, and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of, The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical facts or statements that relate to present facts or current conditions, including but not limited to, statements regarding our cash and financial resources, our clinical development plans, and the development of our U.S. manufacturing facility are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “aim,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “forecast,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this presentation are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, including, among others: our ability to successfully advance our current and future product candidates through development activities, preclinical studies, and clinical trials; our reliance on the maintenance of certain key collaborative relationships for the manufacturing and development of our product candidates; the timing, scope and likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, including final regulatory approval of our product candidates; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations; the performance of third parties in connection with the development of our product candidates, including third parties conducting our future clinical trials as well as third-party suppliers and manufacturers; our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates and develop sales and marketing capabilities, if our product candidates are approved; and our ability to maintain and successfully enforce adequate intellectual property protection. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur, and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a dynamic industry and economy. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties that we may face. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
Century Therapeutics Investor Contact:
Elizabeth Krutoholow
investor.relations@centurytx.com
267.857.1080
Century Therapeutics Media Contact:
media@centurytx.com
Outspace Bio Media Contact:
Allison Braley, Playground Global for Outpace Bio
press@playground.global
