Brightlands company PharmaCell sold to Lonza

Lonza AG has completed the acquisition of PharmaCell BV, the leading cell and gene therapy manufacturer in Europe with offices in Maastricht and Sittard-Geleen. In 2016 PharmaCell achieved a turnover of € 11 million. Lonza chose PharmaCell because of her knowledge and experience in production of autologous cell and gene therapy, including two commercial so-called Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs). In autologous therapy patient-own cells are used, in allogeneic therapy donor cells.

"PharmaCell's position in the market fits very well with Lonza's leadership in the production of allogeneic cells," says Andreas Weiler, head of Emerging Technologies at Lonza. "This acquisition represents a broadening of Lonza's activities in Europe and makes Lonza the only party in Europe in contract production and development with an international network and production companies in the United States, Europe and Asia. " Lonza is one of the world's leading suppliers in pharma, biotech and specialty ingredients.

PharmaCell was founded in 2005 at Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, when cell production was still in its infancy. In recent years, PharmaCell has developed into a leading contract manufacturer for cell and gene therapy and regenerative medicine in Europe. It became the producer of the only two commercial cell therapy products approved in Europe. For scaling-up and production, the company expanded in 2014 to Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Sittard-Geleen. The locations of PharmaCell on the two Brightlands campuses have more than 120 employees. PharmaCell has a total of more than 6000 m2 GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) cleanrooms and rooms for quality control and related activities. The products, which are often still in clinical development, are used in, among other things, oncology, orthopedics and gastrointestinal diseases.

Alexander Vos, CEO of PharmaCell, explains: "Over the past seven years we have succeeded in attracting many of the top international companies in cell therapy as customers. I am proud of my team that has succeeded in delivering GMP production at the highest level in this market, which is developing so fast. "

Casper Bruens, until the takeover of the chairman of the Supervisory Board of PharmaCell and director of investor Limburg Ventures: "PharmaCell has an intensive but ultimately successful journey behind it to prove that cell therapy can be scaled up and used successfully to help patients. to cure. Sometimes it was difficult but it was always inspiring to work with great people who believed from the beginning in the success of cell therapy in the Brightlands region. I think the company can become even stronger and grow further within an organization with a reputation and financial strength as strong as Lonza's. "

Jan Cobbenhagen, co-initiator of PharmaCell and currently CEO of Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus: "PharmaCell started as a startup with two persons in 2005 at the Biopartner Center on Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus. We saw an opportunity to take the lead in the biotech developments surrounding cell culture by setting up a GMP certified cleanroom facility for product development and production in the field of cell therapy. Thanks in part to investments from (semi) public parties in the region, such as Univenture (the investment company of Maastricht University), LIOF, Chemelot Ventures and the Maastricht UMC +, PharmaCell has grown into a leading international company in the field of cell technology. With the sale of PharmaCell, Brightlands and Lonza have been able to bind a major player to the Brightlands ecosystem. "
Twan Beurskens, deputy Economy & Knowledge Infrastructure for the Province of Limburg, says in a comment: "The leap that the company is making now is a credit to PharmaCell itself, but also to the cooperation between many parties in the region. It is an example that Brightlands proves the value of its ecosystem for startups and this will certainly not be the last in Limburg. "
PharmaCell's financial advisor in this transaction was Achelous Partners. Legal affairs were looked after by Boels Zanders Advocaten.