Mankind Pharma, through its subsidiary Mankind Pharma (Netherlands) B.V., has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Belgium-based biotechnology company Armed Cell Therapeutics B.V., which is developing next-generation Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies for cancer.

The proposed acquisition forms part of Mankind Pharma's long-term strategy to build a global, innovation-led pharmaceutical business and expand its presence in advanced therapies and complex disease areas.

Armed Cell Therapeutics was founded by a team with experience in drug development, cell therapy and company building. Its founders include Paul Stoffels, MD, Chair of the Board and former Chief Executive Officer of Galapagos and Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson; John Mellors, MD, Chief Scientific Officer, Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and former Senior Vice President of Discovery and Early Development at Galapagos; and Peter Verhaeghe, former Chair of argenx.

Commenting on the agreement, Arjun Juneja, Chief Operating Officer of Mankind Pharma, said innovation would be a key driver of the company's long-term growth. He said the investment marks the first step towards building a global pipeline of advanced therapies and provides access to differentiated scientific platforms, an experienced leadership team and the potential to develop multiple next-generation CAR-T candidates.

Juneja added that Mankind Pharma aims to expand its participation in global scientific innovation while working towards making advanced therapies more accessible to patients in India and international markets.

Paul Stoffels, Chair of the Board at Armed Cell Therapeutics, said next-generation CAR-T therapies could potentially reach more patients through improvements in their potency and durability. He added that the company's scientific assets and team, supported by Mankind Pharma, would help advance this objective.

The partnership is expected to strengthen Mankind Pharma's research capabilities and support its expansion into innovative treatments, alongside its continued focus on quality, affordability and accessibility.