Takara Bio enters into a license and supply agreement of RetroNectin with BioNTech Cell & Gene Therapies GmbH

Takara Bio Inc. has announced that it has entered into a License and Supply Agreement with BioNTech Cell & Gene Therapies GmbH ("BioNTech"), a BioNTech SE company under which Takara Bio grants BioNTech a commercial license to use applicable patents relating to RetroNectin^®. Under this agreement, Takara Bio provides BioNTech with reliable supplies of RetroNectin^®.

The patented technologies licensed to BioNTech are based on Takara Bio’s proprietary RetroNectin^® method, which includes a technology enabling highly efficient gene transduction to cells by retrovirus/lentivirus vector and expansion of T-cells with high efficiency. With such advantages, RetroNectin^® method is one of the most used standard protocols utilized for "Engineered T-cell Therapy", which includes promising TCR and CAR gene therapies recently raising higher expectations.

Under the agreement signed with Takara Bio, BioNTech is allowed to use RetroNectin^® for production of its cell & gene therapy products, therapies in which a patient’s T cells are genetically engineered to express a CAR for the treatment of multiple solid tumors.

Takara Bio is promoting supply of RetroNectin^® to clinical development of Engineered T-cell Therapy actively pursued worldwide in recent years and expects higher sales growth in the future.

For more of the latest science news, straight to your inbox, become a member of SelectScience for free today>>