PHC Corporation has signed a Master Collaboration Agreement with CCRM, a global leader in regenerative medicine and biomanufacturing, to jointly develop primary T-cell expansion culture processes aimed at accelerating the manufacturing of cell and gene therapy (CGT) products.

This partnership will integrate PHC's innovative cell expansion system, LiCellGrow™ (currently under development), with CCRM’s extensive expertise in regenerative medicine to establish advanced culture processes that enhance cell culture efficiency and quality for CGTs.

“We are excited to collaborate with PHC to unlock new possibilities in cell culture,” said Michael May, President and CEO of CCRM. “Technology development partnerships, like this one, are key to advancing the industry and making CGT more cost effective, and therefore more accessible to patients around the world.”

Primary T-cells play a critical role in process development and manufacturing for CGTs, including CAR-T cell therapy. However, variability in growth rates and quality of T-cells derived directly from patients poses challenges in maintaining stable cell counts and ensuring consistent quality during culture. This collaboration aims to address these challenges by leveraging advanced cell culture technologies and methodologies.

Chikara Takauo, Director of PHC and Head of the Biomedical Division, emphasized: "We are delighted to begin this joint research and development initiative with CCRM, a leader with 14 years of experience in the commercialization of regenerative medicine and CGT. By combining the technologies and expertise of both of our organizations, we aim to advance the manufacturing processes for cell-based therapeutics and cell culture technologies, contributing to the early practical application of CGT."

PHC has developed proprietary In-Line monitoring technology that enables researchers to track key indicators of cell metabolism in real time. This breakthrough allows for precise, continuous measurement of glucose uptake and lactate production, delivering a deeper understanding of cell metabolism over time compared to traditional sampling methods. In 2024, PHC introduced its live-cell metabolic analyzer, LiCellMo™, in key global markets, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Building on this success, PHC is developing LiCellGrow™, a next-generation cell expansion system designed to automatically exchange media based on the metabolic state of the cells, ensuring an optimal culture environment. The joint initiative with CCRM will leverage this system to analyze and optimize culture conditions for primary T-cells, ultimately improving cell quality, enhancing manufacturing efficiency, and reducing production costs for cell-based therapeutics.

This collaboration underscores PHC’s commitment to driving innovation in cell culture technologies and supporting the development of scalable, high-quality CGT manufacturing processes.