ExCellThera and Astellas enter into a license for the use of molecule UM171 in the field of pluripotent stem cells

MONTREAL, July 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ExCellThera Inc. (ExCellThera), a clinical-stage molecular medicine company delivering molecules and bioengineering solutions to expand stem and immune cells for therapeutic use, today announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. through its US subsidiary, Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine, for the in vitro use of the UM171 compound and certain other molecules in the field of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and PSC-derived cells.

Under the terms of the exclusive license agreement, Astellas will pay ExCellThera an upfront payment, future contingent payments and manufacturing and supply fees for the licensed molecules.

"We are thrilled to have partnered with a world-class international pharmaceutical company such as Astellas for the further development of our proprietary UM171 compound and certain other molecules in the field of PSCs," said Dr. Guy Sauvageau, CEO and Founder of ExCellThera. "While ExCellThera has focused on developing our core strength in other therapeutic areas, Astellas has invested significantly in PSC-related programs and is absolutely the right partner for us in that regard. Our collaboration with Astellas validates the immense clinical and commercial potential of UM171 in additional fields of development. It also enables us to continue to focus on our core clinical programs and commercial plans for our ECT-001 cell therapy product and our cell expansion and rejuvenation platform, as well as other pre-clinical and clinical areas of interest."

About ExCellThera

ExCellThera is a clinical-stage molecular medicine company delivering molecules and bioengineering solutions to expand stem and immune cells for use in novel one-time curative therapies for patients with hematologic malignancies, autoimmune and other diseases. ExCellThera's most advanced technology, ECT-001 Cell Therapy, combines a proprietary molecule, UM171, and an optimized culture system. In pursuit of better treatments for patients, the company is building out its portfolio of products, as well as supporting best-in-class clinical trials. excellthera.com