WuXi AppTec & Juno Therapeutics Set Up Cell Therapy Company

US-based biopharmaceutical Juno Therapeutics and China-based open-access R&D company, WuXi AppTec, have joined forces in setting up a cell therapy company.

AsianScientist (Apr. 14, 2016) – US-based biopharmaceutical company Juno Therapeutics and China-based open-access R&D capability and technology platform, WuXi AppTec, have announced that they have started a cell therapy company in China.

JW Biotechnology (Shanghai) will leverage Juno’s chimeric antigen receptor and T-cell receptor technologies and WuXi AppTec’s R&D and manufacturing platform to develop cell-based immunotherapies for patients with hematologic and solid organ cancers.

Dr. James Li, formerly a Kleiner Perkins partner and general manager of Amgen China, has been appointed chief executive officer of JW Biotechnology (Shanghai). He is also the co-founder.

“Juno’s goal is to create novel immuno-oncology therapies to treat cancer patients around the world across a range of cancer types. Over 2.5 million people in China die annually from cancer, making it imperative for us to find an effective structure to reach these patients,” said Hans Bishop, Juno’s president and CEO.

“The Chinese government’s regulatory reforms are expected to drive growth and demand for quality medicines that target major unmet medical needs in China, and our mission is to enable the development and commercialization of therapeutics in China through WuXi’s open-access R&D and manufacturing platform, and strategic partnerships with leading organizations worldwide,” said Dr. Ge Li, chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec.

Juno and WuXi AppTec have equal initial ownership in JW Biotechnology (Shanghai), which, after meeting certain conditions, will have access to licensing product candidates from Juno’s pipeline for development and commercialization in China. In exchange, Juno will receive an upfront payment in equity, milestone payments, and royalties on any net sales.

Dr. Ge Li will serve as Chairman of the Board, and the remainder of the Board of Directors will initially include Dr. James Li, Hans Bishop, Steve Harr, Juno’s chief financial officer and head of corporate development, and Edward Hu, WuXi AppTec’s chief financial officer and chief investment officer.


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Source: WuXi AppTec; Photo: WuXi AppTec, Juno Therapeutics.
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