Dendreon Pharmaceuticals, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company and pioneer in the development of cellular immunotherapy, has established and invested in its new contract manufacturing and services division to bring late-stage clinical assets through to commercialization. Leveraging its extensive manufacturing, process development and logistics expertise, Dendreon now offers end-to-end manufacturing of complex cell therapies and patient logistics for partner programs.

“Innovative cell therapies have the potential to change how we treat serious diseases, but there is currently insufficient capacity to meet anticipated industry demand,” said Jason O’Neill, CEO, Dendreon. “With more than a decade of proven expertise in cell therapy manufacturing and an established supply chain and logistics infrastructure, we have invested in an offering that fills an immediate market need in this rapidly expanding field. This is a significant accomplishment for Dendreon and plays a key role in our future growth plans.”

Dendreon says it is one of only four companies manufacturing cell therapies for commercial use in the U.S. and began investing in dedicated capacity for later-stage partner programs within its existing infrastructure in early 2021. The company’s 180,000-plus square foot cGMP-compliant and FDA approved manufacturing facility in Seal Beach, CA will serve as the contract manufacturing services hub. Its Seattle, WA facility will serve as the process development and manufacturing sciences center.

“We are enabling the future of immunotherapy and supporting an unmet need in the market with immediate access to capacity and expertise,” said Maria Cho, vice president of business development and corporate strategy, Dendreon. “We are looking to establish partnerships with biopharmaceutical companies developing CAR-Ts, autologous, or allogeneic cell therapies. Looking ahead, we plan to continue to leverage our core capabilities as a growth engine for our strategic partners and the industry as a whole.”