Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma and robotics firm Yaskawa Electric have agreed to establish a joint venture to develop a cell therapy manufacturing platform using robotics.
The joint venture aims to address challenges in cell therapy commercialisation by leveraging Astellas’ R&D expertise and Yaskawa’s ‘Maholo’ robot.
Also, it will provide access to the manufacturing platform for startups and academic institutions, strengthening collaboration and innovation in the field of cell therapy.
The initiative builds on Astellas and Yaskawa’s memorandum dated May 2024, to advance their efforts to overcome these challenges in commercialising cell therapies.
The joint venture will combine Astellas’ cell therapy R&D and manufacturing expertise with YASKAWA’s robotic technology.
The Maholo robot, developed by Yaskawa’s subsidiary Robotic Biology Institute, will be central to the combined operations.
The joint venture will be established in September 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
In the venture, Astellas will hold a 60% stake and Yaskawa the remaining 40% stake.
The business will focus on optimising the digitised manufacturing process with AI and developing a cell therapy manufacturing platform that meets GMP standards.
Also, it will develop manufacturing processes for cell therapy candidates from partners, including academia and startups, and produce experimental drugs in GMP facilities.
Astellas, in its statement, said: “Through the establishment of a joint venture and the development of a cell therapy manufacturing platform, Astellas is committed to addressing the challenges of commercialising cell therapy and supporting academia and startup companies in implementing innovative cell therapies.
“By integrating advanced technologies into its cell therapy expertise, Astellas aims to develop potentially transformative cell therapy for patients with limited or no treatment options. Please visit this for more details.
“Yaskawa has provided automation solutions for medical testing processes, including cancer genome diagnostics, iPS cell culture, and PCR testing, through delivering Maholo. With the establishment of a joint venture, Yaskawa aims to expand the use cases of robots in the field of cell therapy beyond the existing life science field.”
