Kincell Bio and Cellipont Bioservices have completed their previously announced merger, bringing the two advanced-therapy organizations together under a new company, Kincellis Advanced Therapies. The combined contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) will focus on cell therapies and other advanced modalities, with capabilities spanning early-stage development, clinical manufacturing and commercial supply.

The merger brings together complementary areas of technical expertise. Kincell Bio contributes experience in immune-cell technologies, while Cellipont Bioservices adds capabilities involving stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), dendritic cells, exosomes and emerging mRNA-enabled approaches.

According to the companies, the broader platform is designed to support both autologous and allogeneic therapeutic programs across multiple cell types and modalities. The organization aims to provide developers with a more integrated path from process and analytical development into later-stage manufacturing. The companies said their combined operations have produced more than 150 GMP batches for customers and are supporting 10 Investigational New Drug (IND) filings in 2026.

Darren Head will serve as chief executive officer of Kincellis. He has spent more than two decades working in the development and construction of advanced-therapy CDMO organizations. “Kincell and Cellipont are highly complementary in their science, facilities and the stages of development they serve,” he says. “Together, we can offer customers broader expertise and a more connected path from process and analytical development through late-stage manufacturing, while maintaining the responsiveness and hands-on partnership that are essential in cell therapy.”

Kincellis will operate approximately 140,000 square feet of development and manufacturing infrastructure across three U.S. locations: Gainesville, Florida; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; and The Woodlands, Texas. The combined footprint includes 16 operational and qualified GMP manufacturing suites. These facilities are intended to support programs ranging from early development and clinical manufacturing through pivotal-stage and commercial production.

The company said the three-site network will give customers additional options for capacity and manufacturing continuity as programs progress through development. Kincellis also plans to match programs with the technical teams and manufacturing infrastructure appropriate to their individual development and supply requirements.

More than 200 employees from the two organizations will make up the combined workforce. Larry Pitcher, who will serve as president of Kincellis Advanced Therapies, will lead the company’s operations team. “Our priorities are clear: maintain continuity for every customer, connect the strongest capabilities of both organizations and build a common platform that can scale with customer needs,” Pitcher says. “This combination creates meaningful opportunities for our customers, our teams and the advanced-therapies industry.”

Kincellis will be overseen by a board led by Mark Bamforth OBE, who will serve as executive chair. The new company is being backed by financing led by NewSpring Capital, with participation from existing investors Kineticos Life Sciences, HealthQuest Capital and Great Point Partners. J.P. Morgan provided a debt facility as part of the transaction. William Blair & Company acted as financial advisor to Cellipont Bioservices. The financial terms of the merger were not disclosed.

With the transaction now complete, Kincellis is positioning its combined facilities, technical capabilities and workforce as a U.S.-based platform for developers advancing cell and other advanced therapies from development into later-stage manufacturing.

For more information, visit: www.kincellis.com.