Catalent Obtains Erytech Pharma Manufacturing Facility

Catalent, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has acquired Erytech Pharma’s state-of-the-art, commercial-scale cell therapy manufacturing facility in Princeton, NJ, for $44.5 million. The deal includes an exclusive long-term supply agreement for Catalent to support the biotech company’s lead product candidate eryaspase (GRASPA), a red blood cell-derived product, which is currently in late-stage development for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The 30,900-square-foot facility is located within the University Square Campus Park and houses 16 current good manufacturing practice (cGMP)-compliant suites, along with laboratories for analytical, quality control, and microbiology testing. The site is expected to become a strategic campus for development as well as clinical- and commercial-scale manufacturing of cell therapies.

Per the supply agreement, Catalent will continue to manufacture GRASPA at the site. It will also support the development of Erytech’s pipeline of encapsulated red blood cell-based therapeutics for severe forms of cancer and orphan diseases.

“This acquisition is strategically important to Catalent’s commitment to support the development and clinical and commercial supply of cell therapies to meet rapidly growing demand,” says Manja Boerman, PhD, president, Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy. “The talented and experienced staff already employed at the facility, the capabilities it has in place, and the opportunity to quickly add further capacity on the same site, allow Catalent to expand rapidly to create a US campus and center of excellence for cell therapy development and manufacturing that will serve customers around the world.”