BioCentriq CEO On Next Phase Of Growth With GC Support

Parent Understands Need For Flexibility, Autonomy In US

In a video interview with Scrip, Syed Husain, CEO of the US-based cell therapy CDMO BioCentriq, talks about the company’s role in parent GC’s growth strategy and business priorities, the cell and gene therapy manufacturing market and his views on the US BIOSECURE Act.

Next Level
BioCentriq Aims For Cell Therapy CDMO Offerings Spanning Clinical To Commercial • Source: Shutterstock

With the rapid growth in the global cell and gene therapy (CGT) market, South Korean pharma firms have increasingly been diversifying into the contract manufacturing area for these novel modalities via cross-border acquisitions.

Among these, leading biopharma group GC - which has a strong focus on cell therapies and the US market in particular - acquired the US-based cell therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) BioCentriq Inc. in 2022 to broaden its capabilities and scale its platforms. The group's affiliates include GC Biopharma Corp. and GC Cell.

The CGT sector has now reached a new stage with an increasing number of late-phase pipeline assets receiving approval or moving towards commercialization. In 2023 alone, several CGTs were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, while in the fourth quarter the number of such candidates in Phase III trials increased 10% from the previous quarter.

CGT Landscape: Recent Approvals, Deals And 2024 Catalysts
The last quarter of 2023 was an exciting one for the cell and gene therapy sector – with the first-ever approval for a CRISPR-based therapeutic in the US and an increase in Phase III trials in the overall CGT pipeline. 
Discover the full story

Flexibility And Autonomy

In this environment, GC’s acquisition has positioned BioCentriq for the next phase of growth. From a CGT landscape perspective, there is an opportunity for CDMOs to provide more solutions, including those that can help get commercialized therapies to patients more quickly.

“When you take a look at where BioCentriq is right now, it has prior experience. It has produced products for patients going into the clinic, but certainly given what the market needs, together with the support of GC, we want to help take it to the next level,” BioCentriq CEO Syed T Husain said in a video interview with Scrip.

The executive, who came on board only recently, said the company is putting together a growth phase plan but ultimately is moving towards the goal of providing solutions to innovators that go all the way through to commercial manufacturing.

From GC's standpoint, the group has a long history and successful track record out of Korea. One of the main reasons that GC Corp., the group holdings firm, acquired BioCentriq was that it wanted to enter the US market and that it is a big believer in cell therapy.

The group also has the US-based pharma firm Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. under its wing, whose lead program AlloNK is an allogeneic, non-genetically modified and cryopreserved NK (natural killer) cell therapy.

“I think CDMO businesses, if they're run well, they allow you a lot of diversification and it could be a really exciting platform,” said Husain. “What makes GC a great partner is they're very supportive and they provide us the backing. But they're also very understanding of the fact that a US business and a US company need to have the flexibility and autonomy to operate in that [the US] market.

"It's a different type of market. So, I think it's great to have a parent corporation that thinks like that.”

CGT Manufacturing Outlook

Amid the increasing CGT pipeline globally, the number of commercialized cell therapies is also rising. Once they achieve this stage, the reach is ultimately going to be global - but manufacturing activity for such therapies versus other modalities will require more local capabilities, Husain emphasized.

“Certainly, innovators always want to start with the US. That's where products are always launched first, which is what we're ideally set up for. But then ultimately, as these commercialized cell therapies reach the global network, it's going to require regional manufacturing.” 

“And that's where, whether it's a company like BioCentriq that at the right step in its journey expands globally, or it's other CDMOs that are in a position to do that, I think that’s how ultimately the landscape is going to go,” he predicted. 

BIOSECURE Validates Strategy

Speaking on the proposed BIOSECURE Act in the US, he believes that this planned legislation and what customers in the pharma/biotech space are focused on validates BioCentriq's and GC's strategy. "They want a US-based CDMO partner that has expertise, capacities and capabilities in the US. It's able to stand on its own two feet and that's why the growth strategy is very much focused on concentrating on the US assets," Husain explained.

“I think the BIOSECURE Act is certainly something that is very real. It's raising the right type of questions in our opinion and it's ensuring that manufacturing, especially for a complex modality like this, is very much based out of the US,” he added.

“Certainly, these products are global so there's going to be a time and place where you need to also have manufacturing across the globe as well. But first and foremost, I think this just supports what we're doing and I think that's why GC has essentially doubled down on BioCentriq. That's why I'm a part of this journey as well and that's why we're looking to grow.”

Video Interview Time Stamps

00:32 Biggest Changes Since Acquisition By GC

02:27 BioCentriq’s Role In GC’s Strategy

04:16 Company Growth Strategy

05:30 Strengths Versus Rival Firms

08:42 Business Priorities For Next Few Years

11:00 CEO’s View, Strategy On US BIOSECURE Act

12:46 Cell/Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market Outlook

14:18 Longer-Term Goals For BioCentriq

More from South Korea

Korean Biopharma Catching Up On AI, But What Are The Challenges?

 
• By 

While South Korea's biopharma sector has made progress in its digital transformation, including the adoption of AI technologies, a recent report has identified multiple remaining challenges.

Q2 Korea Biotech Roundup: Licensing Deals End, Trials Progress, IPOs Recover

 
• By 

Aside from several sizable global out-licensing deals, South Korean bioventures saw a cancellation of other alliances, updated their pipelines with losses and gains and reported clinical trial progress in the second quarter, while domestic IPO sentiment also improved.

Global Pharma Interest In Korea Undeterred Despite Political Roller Coaster

 
• By 

Despite recent political turmoil, outside investor and corporate interest in South Korean biopharma innovation appears robust or even increasing.

Bitcoin Player Parataxis To Acquire Bridge Biotherapeutics After IPF Failure

 
• By 

After the failure of its lead asset in a Phase II trial earlier this year, Korea's Bridge Biotherapeutics has accepted an acquisition offer from bitcoin group Parataxis.

More from Focus On Asia

Chinese Biotechs Sweep ADC Plus PD-(L)1/VEGF Bispecific Combos Into Phase II

 

Chinese firms Junshi, Minghui and RemeGen rank among the world’s few players progressing antibody-drug conjugates combined with PD-(L)1/VEGF bispecific antibodies in Phase II trials for various cancers.

AI-First, Big Pharma, Chinese Firms In Race - What’s Ahead For PRMT5 Inhibitors

 
• By 

As AI-driven firms including Insilico, big pharmas J&J, Amgen, GSK and AstraZeneca and Chinese and Indian firms like BeOne and Dr. Reddy’s advance PRMT5 inhibitor candidates, what’s driving interest, what could lead to the first global approval and what are the challenges ahead?

Cipla CEO On Tariff Threat: ‘We Have One Of The Most Well Diversified Models’

 

Cipla's leadership fields shareholder queries on the specter of US tariffs and also outlines how the firm is nurturing the business for the future in areas like mRNA and point-of-care diagnostics, while building on its strength in the respiratory space.