Thread by @camanishjain4u

#lauruslabs Labs has agreed to buy a 26.6% stake in ImmunoACT (on a fully diluted basis) for a cash considerationfor Rs.46 Cr.

Senior management of Laurus Labs would also invest in ImmunoACT for a 5.64% stake for approximately Rs. 9.75 crore at same price and terms.

#investing

Now what exactly ImmunoACT does?

ImmunoACT is an advanced cell and gene therapy company which was founded in 2018 under the aegis of IIT Bombay incubator, Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) by Dr. Rahul Purwar.

ImmunoACT has strong global partnerships including Dr. Carl June, pioneer of CART therapy as member of scientific advisory board. It has portfolio of CAR-T therapy assets under various development stages for treatment of multiple auto immune diseases and oncology indications

ImmunoACT currently has four CAR-T cell molecules in development, one of which is in clinical trials, namely HCAR-19 which is being tested in clinical trials for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in adults and children, as well as Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DBCL).

Why is Laurus Labs investing into ImmunoACT, let’s look at the larger picture!

The rationale behind Laurus Labs’ investment in ImmunoACT is to strengthen Laurus Labs’ biologics business, which gives them access and entry into an emerging field of research.

CAR-T therapy is a very promising treatment option that has seen a lot of success in the Western world. Currently, CAR-T therapy is not available in India, and this collaboration will assist the company in bringing this novel technology to Indian patients at a very low cost.

According to a brokerage report, “CAR-T cell therapy is a new treatment for leukemia/lymphoma, with five commercialized products selling for USD1.5 billion worldwide.

Given that ImmunoACT products are still in development, commercialization would depend on a positive clinical outcome. However, this is LAURUS’ entry into a possible CDMO opportunity in a new therapy space over the next 4-5 years.”

What is CAR-T cell therapy and why is it becoming more popular?

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a way to get immune cells called T cells (a type of white blood cell) to fight cancer by changing them in the lab so they can find and destroy cancer cells.

And the reason why it is so famous in the West is because of its success rate, which is around 30-40% for CAR T-cell therapy for long-term remission with no additional treatment, requires a very short treatment time and is safer than chemotherapy and stem cell transplants.

CAR-T cell therapy is a promising new treatment for leukaemia and lymphoma and with increased acceptance and a strong pipeline of molecules in development. It clearly outperforms chemotherapy and stem cell transplant therapy.

With various companies like Celgene (BMS), Gilead, Jansenn, and CARsegen pursuing CAR-T therapy clinical trials, the CAR-T Cell Therapy market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

Source: @mystockedge blog. Thanks so much for this wonderful piece!

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Adding few credible healthcare experts for views/comments on thread.

@LaurusLabs
@unseenvalue
@Dr_Midhun_cs
@punitbansal14
@soicfinance
@ishmohit1
@AdityaKhemka5