Novartis agrees deal to manufacture CAR-T therapies in France

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) has signed an agreement with LFB Group company Cell for Cure for the manufacture of CAR-T therapies.

The deal will see these cancer medicines, which are personalized for each patient according to their own blood cells, manufactured at the major LFB Group site in Les Ulis in the suburbs of Paris, France.

Production could begin in 2019 after the transfer of manufacturing technologies from Novartis to Cell for Cure.

This new industrial platform complements existing production sites in the USA and Europe. The process will employ the same technology and the same elaborate process as those developed by Novartis at its site at Morris Plains, New Jersey.

The agreement has been welcomed in France as a further sign of Novartis’ confidence in the country. From 2015 to 2019, the company has already made commitments of more than 900 million euros ($1.05 billion) in French projects including the expansion of its biotech center in Alsace and the construction of new French headquarters outside Paris.

Frédéric Collet, president of Novartis France, said: "Today's announcement brings immense hope to people suffering from aggressive forms of blood cancer for which there are currently only limited treatment options.

“In addition, Novartis' decision to choose France is another example of the group's confidence in France and its attractiveness. It's a great source of pride for all of us. This confirms our role as a major healthcare player in France, present in R&D, promotion and manufacturing activities.”

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