Excellos selected to support Galapagos’ CAR-T cell therapy clinical study

Excellos has been selected to manufacture Galapagos’ CAR-T cell therapy candidate, GLPG5101, for its recently FDA cleared ATALANTA-1 clinical study in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the U.S. Excellos was selected upon completion of an extensive site audit and assessment process and will provide end-to-end manufacturing of Galapagos’ CAR-T cell therapy on Galapagos’ platform at Excellos’ new purpose-built manufacturing facility in downtown San Diego, CA. Galapagos’ decentralized manufacturing platform could address many of the limitations that CAR-T cell therapy production is currently facing. It has the potential to offer greater speed and scalability, with the delivery of fresh, fit cells with a median vein-to-vein time of seven days and the possibility for greater physician control and improved patient experience. This project represents the first site initiation under the recently announced strategic collaboration between Galapagos’ U.S. entity GLPG US, Inc. and BCA. Under this agreement, BCA’s national network of blood centers will provide decentralized manufacturing services for Galapagos’ CAR-T cell therapy product candidates, close to cancer treatment centers across the U.S.