JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gamida Cell announced today that it has closed an internal E financing round of $10 million. All major shareholders participated.
The financing will be used to support the global commercialization of the company’s lead cell therapy product, StemEx, in development as an alternative therapeutic treatment for patients with blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, who can be cured by bone marrow transplantation but do not have a matched bone marrow donor. The company is currently seeking a strategic partner to join in the global commercialization of StemEx.
The financing will also support the continued development of the company’s pipeline of products, primarily the NiCord® clinical trial for sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
Mr. Reuven Krupik, chairman of the board of Gamida Cell said, “The investors were unanimous in their decision to reinvest, understanding the importance of bringing StemEx to market as well as maintaining the company’s leadership role in the stem cell industry. Gamida Cell is a game changer.”
The international, multi-center, pivotal registration, Phase III clinical trial of StemEx completed enrollment in February 2012. Clinical outcome is expected in Q4/2012. The market launch of StemEx is planned for 2013. StemEx is likely to be the first allogeneic stem cell product in the market. StemEx is being developed by the Gamida Cell-TEVA joint venture.
Dr. Yael Margolin, president and chief executive officer of Gamida Cell said, “With the continued support of our shareholders and the analysis of the clinical results of the StemEx trial just around the corner, we are now focused on submitting the BLA.”
StemEx is a graft of an expanded population of stem/progenitor cells, derived from part of a single unit of umbilical cord blood and transplanted by IV administration along with the remaining, non-manipulated cells from the same unit. Competing products in development use two units. As the average cost of a cord blood unit in the U.S. is $40K, StemEx is expected to be a significantly less expensive treatment option. StemEx is also expected to be available in the market several years before any of the competing products.
About Gamida Cell
Gamida Cell is a world leader in stem cell population expansion technologies and stem cell therapy products for transplantation and regenerative medicine. The company’s pipeline of stem cell therapy products are in development to treat a wide range of conditions including blood cancers, solid tumors, non-malignant hematological diseases such as hemoglobinopathies, neutropenia and acute radiation syndrome, autoimmune diseases and metabolic diseases as well as conditions that can be helped by regenerative medicine. Gamida Cell’s therapeutic candidates contain populations of adult stem cells, selected from non-controversial sources such as umbilical cord blood, bone marrow and peripheral blood, which are expanded in culture. Gamida Cell’s current shareholders include: Elbit Imaging, Clal Biotechnology Industries, Israel Healthcare Venture, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Amgen, Denali Ventures and Auriga Ventures. For more information, please visit: www.gamida-cell.com.