Natco Pharma invests around US$ 2 million in Cellogen Therapeutics

Hyderabad: Cellogen Therapeutics Private Limited, a Delhi based biotech startup promoted by Dr Gaurav Kharya, Director, Centre for Bone Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi has raised around US$ 2 million from NATCO Pharma Limited.

"Cellogen is primarily involved in two R&D programs involving cell and gene therapy solutions. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR T) cell therapy program is at an advanced stage for Cellogen Therapeutics where the T cells of the patients are genetically engineered to identify and kill the cancer cells. Cellogen Therapeutics has developed bi-specific CARs and also added another costimulatory domain to increase the efficacy and persistence of the CAR in human body as compared to currently available CAR constructs that are mono-specific with one co-stimulatory domain. Both these innovations are aimed at reducing the risk of relapse post CAR T cell therapy which remains a major challenge with existing CAR constructs. Current available products in market cost around US$ 500,000 – 700,000 which Cellogen aims to bring down to US$ 60,000 – 70,000," the release stated.

Another program on which Cellogen Therapeutics is working is gene therapy program for transfusion dependent thalassemia and sickle cell disease. It is noteworthy that these two diseases form the largest burden of red cell disorders across the globe. As per rough estimates, 40,000 kids are born each year with these disorders in India (10,000 with thalassemia and 30,000 with sickle cell disease).

“Cellogen has been working on its next generation CAR T programme for around 2.5 years and has been able to zero on one particular CAR construct amongst around 40 such constructs. After successful pre-clinical data using the selected CAR, Cellogen intends to start phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2024. Just like the CAR T cell therapy, Cellogen Therapeutics also intends to bring gene therapy solutions at affordable cost to our patients in need,” said Dr. Gaurav Kharya, Founder & Director of Cellogen Therapeutics.

Sri Rajeev Nannapaneni, Director & CEO, NATCO Pharma Limited states, “Cellogen’s area of research work involving innovative and cost-effective cell and gene therapies for addressing various oncological, hematological and metabolic diseases is in line with our core value of providing advanced healthcare with affordability and is basis of our investment thesis. We are excited about these therapies and pleased to partner with Cellogen Therapeutics."

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