The collaboration will provide opportunities for the development of NK-antibody combination therapies and will affect production time of Glycostem's lead product oNKord and second-generation (CAR-NK) and third generation (TCR-NK) genetically engineered NK cell called viveNK therapies.

The company's oNKord is manufactured from allogeneic raw material and is available off the shelf. The product is produced in a closed system (uNik) in Glycostem's state-of-the-art and good manufacturing practice-licensed production facility in the Netherlands.

By incorporating Ghent technology, Glycostem was able to increase the expression of CD16 receptors that led to an increase in NK cell activity and its antibody binding properties. The technology also has the potential to cut production times of NK cells in half to differentiate progenitor cells into fully functional NK cells. The Ghent technology is part of the Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products related assets generated at the university.

Glycostem initiated a first-of-its-kind pivotal trial in acute myeloid leukemia with in-house manufactured nonmodified NK cells (oNKord) and plans to begin a pivotal phase IIA trial for multiple myeloma in the second half of 2021.