CHA Biotech is teaming up with global cell and gene therapy company Miltenyi Biotec to develop a next-generation immune cell therapy known as CAR-NK. The strategy aims to strengthen commercial competitiveness by securing gene delivery technology, which is critical to production efficiency.
CHA Biotech (085660.KQ) announced Friday that it has begun joint development of an allogeneic CAR-NK therapy with Miltenyi Biotec. Miltenyi Biotec will supply the lentiviral vector required for gene transfer, and CHA Biotech will use it to develop the anticancer cell therapy "CHACAR-NK-201."
CAR-NK is a therapy that enhances attack capability by attaching a cancer-recognizing receptor (CAR) to natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell. Unlike CAR-T, which uses a patient's own cells, CAR-NK uses cells from healthy donors and can be prepared in advance, enabling "off-the-shelf" mass production. With lower cost and production time burdens, it is drawing attention as a next-generation anticancer treatment.
The core of this partnership lies in improving gene delivery efficiency. Miltenyi Biotec holds technology capable of more efficiently delivering genes to NK cells through its BaEV-based lentiviral platform. Since it can reduce the amount of vector needed to achieve the same effect, the technology is expected to cut manufacturing costs and improve productivity.
Based on its proprietary NK cell culture technology, CHA Biotech is conducting research on cell therapies targeting solid tumors including liver cancer, glioblastoma and triple-negative breast cancer. The company plans to combine this with the high-efficiency vector technology to fully expand its CAR-NK pipeline.
The two companies previously established a manufacturing foundation through cooperation on developing an automated mass-production process for CAR-NK last year. Through this partnership, they plan to further upgrade a platform that encompasses both research and development and production.
"We will simultaneously accelerate the development and production of CAR-NK therapies," a CHA Biotech official said. "We will continue to strengthen the foundation for entering the global market."
