Chinese company transfers production of drugs for cell therapy in Russia

In September 2023, the Russian company Izvarino Pharma and the Chinese Cygenta-Imunopharm signed an agreement to transfer CAR-T production technology from Beijing to Kazan. As a result, mass production of CAR-T products will be launched on the basis of the pilot industrial site [[KFU FSAEI HE (Kazan (Volga) Federal University) | Kazan Federal University (KFU)]], the press service of the university said.

Without KFU scientists, the implementation of such a level of high-tech projects would be impossible, "says Orest Ibragimov, head of Izvarino Pharma. - Our Chinese partners have already visited the pilot industrial site of the university and assessed the current state and level of reconstruction of clean rooms. In their opinion, today it will be possible to significantly reduce the implementation of the technology transfer process to the university.

Rector of KFU with representatives of Izvarino Pharma and Cygenta-Imunopharm

The head of the Cygenta project management department, Liu Yujing, in turn, stressed that Russia and China have developed long-standing good relations, including extensive experience in effective interaction between scientific and educational centers.

Capital investments in the project are estimated at $5.6 million. Izvarino clarified that these funds will be used to purchase equipment in China, the company has already invested in KFU's clean production facilities. It is planned to commission production in 2025, and to obtain a license from the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2026.

KFU will provide a clinic for CAR-T immunotherapy, help train biotechnologists to organize production, and, together with Izvarino, will continue research in the development of its own CAR-T drug.

A joint project of the Chinese company and Russian scientists will bring to the Russian market the first drug for immunotherapy of oncohematological diseases with proven effectiveness and tolerability.^[1]

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