Korean cell therapy and biotech company, Matica Biotechnology, a subsidiary of CHA Biotech, has secured multiple CDMO contracts, including deals with Puerto Rico-based CytoImmune Therapeutics and Houston-based Mongoose Bio, to produce retrovirus and lentivirus vectors for cancer therapies, and develop natural killer (NK) and T-cell receptor therapies, respectively.

Matica Bio became the first Korean company to establish a customized CDMO facility in Texas in 2022, specializing in CGT commercialization, with the company having developed a proprietary cell line to enhance viral vector production efficiency.

The following article originally appeared in Korea Biomedical Review.

Matica Biotechnology, the U.S. subsidiary of CHA Biotech, said Wednesday that it has secured multiple contracts with biotech firms, signaling growth for its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business. CHA Biotech is a Korean company specializing in regenerative medicine and cell therapy.

Among its new agreements, Matica Bio has signed a CDMO deal with CytoImmune Therapeutics, a Puerto Rico-based biologics and cell manufacturer specializing in immuno-oncology. Under the agreement, Matica Bio will produce retrovirus vector (RV) for CytoImmune Therapeutics, which focuses on developing cancer therapies using natural killer (NK) cells. The RV will be used in clinical trials for CytoImmune Therapeutics' allogeneic NK cell therapies.

“This collaboration with Matica Bio will allow us to accelerate the development of our NK cell markers,” said Jose Vidal, CEO of CytoImmune Therapeutics. “We are eager to expand our strategic collaboration across all phases of drug development, including R&D, clinical production, and future commercial production.”

Matica Bio has also entered into a CDMO agreement with Houston-based Mongoose Bio to develop and produce lentivirus vector (LV). Mongoose Bio, which creates cancer therapies using T cells based on research from MD Anderson Cancer Center, was named one of the top 10 life science companies in Texas in 2023 and has secured $10.6 million in research funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

Mongoose Bio specializes in T-cell receptor T (TCR-T) therapies, targeting solid tumors such as lung, prostate, and breast cancer. CHA Biotech said these therapies, developed and produced using LV from Matica Bio, may provide a potential alternative to CAR-T therapies, which mainly focus on blood cancers.

Neil Warma, CEO of Mongoose Bio, emphasized the significance of the company’s ongoing development of TCR-T cell therapies, based on over 20 years of research and patented technology. "It’s especially meaningful to be working with leading CDMOs, hospitals, and developers in Texas to deliver treatments to patients," he said. "We plan to conduct clinical trials targeting the global market, utilizing viral vectors produced by Matica Bio. Our goal is to bring innovative therapies to patients worldwide."

Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) require vectors to deliver genetic material like DNA or RNA into cells, with viral vectors being one commonly used method. Retroviruses, lentiviruses, and adenoviruses are frequently employed for this purpose, with retroviruses offering stable, permanent gene modification and lentiviruses capable of carrying larger genetic payloads.

However, the production and purification of both RV and LV are complex processes that demand advanced technical expertise. Matica Bio’s proprietary platform enables the efficient production of high-quality viral vectors, including retroviruses, lentiviruses, and adeno-associated viruses.

Matica Bio became the first Korean company to establish a customized CDMO facility in Texas in 2022, specializing in areas such as analytical development and process development for CGT commercialization. "Many of our clients have extended their contracts for GMP production after being satisfied with our development services, and these successful partnerships are translating into revenue growth," said Paul Kim, CEO of Matica Bio.

In June 2023, the company developed its proprietary cell line, MatiMax, to improve viral vector production efficiency. As the company secures additional contracts, it is also advancing its technological capabilities and expanding its services to include a broader range of cell therapies.

CHA Biotech has built a global CGT CDMO network that includes Matica Bio, GMP facilities at CHA Bundang Medical Center in Korea, Matica Biolabs, the Cell Gene Biobank (CGB), and Matica Bio Japan.

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