ENCell, a company specializing in cell and gene therapy (CGT), said on the 24th it recently signed a strategic partnership agreement with Cell Resource (CRC), a regenerative medicine affiliate of Japan's Alfresa Group.
CGT is a next-generation biopharmaceutical that fundamentally treats diseases by editing or modifying a patient's genes or cells, and is regarded as a key to treating intractable and rare diseases.
ENCell and Cell Resource signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in March to strengthen cooperation in CGT and have since explored concrete business collaboration plans.
The company said, "With this strategic partnership agreement, the collaboration framework between the two companies in life sciences and regenerative medicine will go into full operation," and noted it will enter the Japanese market by combining each side's strengths."
ENCell is developing "EN001" targeting Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and sarcopenia, and is pursuing a global licensing strategy.
CRC is responsible for building the regenerative medicine supply chain of the Alfresa Group, which leads Japan's pharmaceutical distribution market.
CRC will introduce ENCell's next-generation mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy EN001 to Japanese corporations and create licensing (technology transfer) and local partnership opportunities. It also agreed to share information on potential customers needing contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services and to expand business opportunities in both Korea and Japan.
ENCell will provide CRC with comprehensive advisory services, including analysis of the Japanese regenerative medicine market and establishment of business strategies, facility operations, manufacturing capabilities, and technology verification. It will transfer CGT know-how and provide technical consulting to help strengthen CRC's business competitiveness.
Chief Executive Jang Jong-uk of ENCell said, "This partnership will be an opportunity to prove that ENCell's competitiveness and technological prowess can succeed in the global market," adding, "We will accelerate new drug pipeline development and technology transfer in Japan and deliver results in the CDMO business as well."