Charles River and Captain T Cell Form Alliance for Gene Therapy Manufacturing

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. and Captain T Cell, a spinoff from the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin, Germany, have announced a collaboration to produce plasmid DNA and retrovirus vectors. This partnership is part of Charles River's Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Accelerator Program (CAP). The agreement will provide Captain T Cell with access to Charles River’s extensive CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) capabilities and advisory services, facilitating the production of TCR-T cell therapy for solid tumor patients in a Phase I clinical trial.

Captain T Cell is focused on developing advanced immunotherapies for solid tumors, aiming to make T cell treatments accessible to new patient groups. By utilizing next-generation technologies, the company creates T cells with tumor-specific T cell receptors (TCRs). These TCRs are engineered to enhance persistence and function effectively within the hostile environments of difficult-to-treat solid tumors. When infused into patients, these T cells are designed to locate and eliminate tumor cells, potentially offering a new therapeutic option for patients whose tumors are resistant to existing treatments.

To advance its gene-modified cell therapy to clinical trials, Captain T Cell will leverage the established plasmid and viral vector production capabilities of Charles River. The latter has fine-tuned these capabilities over decades, supporting CGT developers from the pre-clinical stages to commercial scale.

Charles River has expanded its cell and gene therapy portfolio in recent years through acquisitions and integrations. This expansion has simplified complex supply chains and increased the availability of plasmid DNA, viral vector, and cell therapy services. With its extensive testing capabilities and a comprehensive “concept-to-cure” solution, Charles River is positioned as a premier provider of advanced therapy solutions.

"We are excited to collaborate with Captain T Cell to support the manufacturing of its TCR-T cell cancer immunotherapy. Charles River has a longstanding track record in reliably producing plasmid DNA, viral vectors, and cell therapies, which helps safeguard our customer programs and bring potential therapies to patients with limited options," said Kerstin Dolph, Corporate Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing at Charles River.

Felix Lorenz, CEO of Captain T Cell, expressed confidence in Charles River’s expertise, stating, "Captain T Cell is dedicated to developing a new generation of toolbox-engineered T cell-based immunotherapies for solid tumor patients. We are fully confident in Charles River's capabilities as we work to bring our lead candidate to the clinic."

Charles River provides essential products and services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government agencies, and academic institutions worldwide. The company’s mission is to expedite the research, development, and safe manufacture of new therapies, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Captain T Cell specializes in developing first-class, efficacy-enhanced T cell therapies targeting solid tumors that current treatments cannot address. Utilizing advanced technology from the Max Delbrück Center, the company produces next-generation TCR-T cells and has developed an allogeneic platform for off-the-shelf treatments. Captain T Cell is supported by leading European investors and is based in Schoenefeld/Berlin, Germany.

This collaboration between Charles River and Captain T Cell marks a significant step toward developing new, effective therapies for solid tumor patients, potentially changing the landscape of cancer immunotherapy.