Nagano, Japan / Melbourne, Australia– November 19, 2025
A-SEEDS Co., Ltd., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation CAR-T cell therapies using non-viral engineering platforms, has engaged Cell Therapies Pty Ltd (Cell Therapies), Australia’s leading contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) for cell and gene therapies, for process transfer and GMP manufacture of A-SEEDS’ lead CAR-T cell candidate for clinical trials in Australia.
About the Collaboration
Under the terms of the agreement, Cell Therapies are providing technology transfer, GMP production, and quality release services to manufacture A-SEEDS’ clinical-grade CAR-T batches. These will be used in the upcoming clinical trial CARTiEr E312. This trial assesses safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and preliminary efficacy of A-SEEDS’ innovative CAR-T cell therapy for cancers.
“We believe our non-viral CAR-T platform represents a new generation of cell therapy – one that can be scaled more efficiently while delivering greater durability for patients,” said Dr. Yagyu, CEO of A-SEEDS. “Working with Cell Therapies gives us a world-class GMP partner to accelerate our project and ultimately to expand globally.”
“Partnering with A-SEEDS aligns perfectly with our mission to bring the most advanced cell therapies to patients quickly and safely,” said Dr Bev Menner, CEO of Cell Therapies. “Their innovative approach to non-viral CAR-T cell engineering is at the forefront of the field, and we are proud to help translate this into high-quality clinical products in our state-of-the art GMP facility in Melbourne, Australia.”
About A-SEEDS
A-SEEDS is founded in 2020 as a spin-out from Shinshu University in Nagano, Japan specialized for CAR-T therapy development. The company’s mission is to swiftly and effectively address the needs of patients through genetically engineered immune cell therapy for cancers with limited treatment options, including pediatric cancers and solid tumors.
A-SEEDS’ platform uses the piggyBac transposon system, a non-viral gene delivery method that avoids many of the limitations of viral vectors, such as long-term efficacy. The company has two products in its pipeline, ACS2015 (also known as AP8901) and AS116, both of which are in the clinical phase
ACS2015: CAR-T therapy targeting EPHB4, a highly expressed receptor in patients with various types of cancer. A Phase 1 clinical trial, CARTiEr E312 with ACS2015 is under preparation. In addition, another phase 1 clinical trial, CARTiEr E211 with AP8901 equivalent to ACS2015, is currently ongoing to evaluate safety, persistence, and early signals of efficacy in patients with Ewing sarcoma and other solid tumors.
AS116: CAR-T therapy targeting GMR highly expressed in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A Phase 1 clinical trial, CARTiEr G111, is currently ongoing to evaluate safety and tolerability, persistence, and early signs of clinical activity in patients with AML.
A-SEEDS has also raised significant funding to support its clinical and manufacturing programs, including a ¥2.38 billion (~USD 15M) Series A financing in July 2025 led by venture capital firms Delight Ventures and Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd., and multiple non-dilutive governmental grants under Japan’s Deep Tech Startup Support Program.
To learn more about A-SEEDS, please click here: https://www.a-seeds.co.jp/eng/
About Cell Therapies
Cell Therapies Pty Ltd (Cell Therapies) is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that manufactures and deploys advanced cell-based therapies to the global market.
Established in 2003, Cell Therapies is one of the most experienced GMP compliant manufacturers for cell therapies, gene therapies, cellular immunotherapies, and regenerative medicine products globally. Working closely with its clinical and research collaborators at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (http://petermac.org), Cell Therapies provides its clients with solutions for process development, GMP manufacturing, analytical development, cryopreservation, quality management, regulatory submission, and clinical trial support.
Cell Therapies has a thirteen (13)-clean room GMP facility located in Melbourne, Australia at the heart of the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct with access to hospitals, research institutes and universities to support development, translation, and patient access. This facility includes three (3) commercial-scale high throughput manufacturing suites with a production capacity of up to 2,000 patient doses per year, and ten (10) small-scale clean rooms suitable for early phase clinical trials. Cell Therapies holds both clinical trial and commercial supply manufacturing licenses from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), along with GMP manufacturing accreditation from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, ensuring the products from our facility meet global regulatory standards.
With a proven track record of delivering cell-based therapies to patients, Cell Therapies supports early phase clinical trials through to commercial supply according to the requirements of local and international regulators. Cell Therapies’ collaborative networks support product delivery all over the world and have an enviable track record for efficient and successful tech transfer for our collaborators and clients.
To learn more about Cell Therapies, please click here: https://celltherapies.com/
Media Contacts
A-SEEDS Co., Ltd.
Name: Kiyohito Tani, Chief Operating Officer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +81 263 31 5882
Cell Therapies Pty Ltd
Name: Dr Shrinidh Joshi, Director of Business Development
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 3 9492 4777
For further information please contact [email protected]
Download the PDF here:CTPL ASEEDs Press Release 19th November
