AGC and MEDINET Strategic Partnership to Accelerate CGT CDMO Business in Japan

AGC Inc., the parent company of AGC Biologics, and MEDINET (MEDINET Co., Ltd., Headquarters: Tokyo) recently announced a signed a strategic partnership agreement designed to help grow the cell therapy CDMO industry in the region by combining the resources of these two leaders in the industry.

In recent years, as the development and introduction of new modalities such as gene and cell therapeutics has progressed worldwide, efforts to further improve Japan's drug discovery capabilities in this field have been discussed and promoted. As part of this effort, there is a need for global-level CDMOs in Japan that can provide process development and manufacturing services that meet the needs of global pharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies.

Under these circumstances, to accelerate the expansion of each company's cell therapy CDMO business, AGC and MEDINET have agreed to exchange and train manufacturing and quality human resources from both companies and to complement MEDINET's development and manufacturing capabilities with AGC Biologics' global cell therapy sites. Initially, AGC will send talents to MEDINET to build knowledge of this business in Japan by supporting MEDINET's CDMO operation, which has extensive experience in contracting with Japan based start-ups and academia, and to prepare for the launch of cell therapy CDMO services in Japan at the AGC Biologics' Yokohama site, scheduled for 2026 (Part of the service will begin in 2025).

The collaboration with AGC Biologics' cell therapy CDMO sites, which have large-scale, global development and manufacturing capabilities, will enable MEDINET to provide a wide range of services in its CDMO business and further expand its drug discovery and development business. The two companies will continue to discuss ways to work together effectively, including further expanding the scope of the collaboration.

AGC's strength lies in providing a wide range of services from early development to commercialization, based on its extensive commercial track record in Japan, Europe and the U.S. and its cutting-edge technological capabilities. MEDINET's strength lies in its many years of experience in the cell processing business, its network with Japan based medical institutions, academia and start-ups, and its capability for development projects. By combining their respective strengths, the two companies aim to improve the quality of their services to customers and contribute to the enhancement of Japan's drug discovery capabilities.