On April 26, 2022 Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRKR), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company specializing in the development of next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications, reported it has entered into a services agreement with Wilson Wolf Manufacturing Corporation (Press release, Marker Therapeutics, APR 26, 2022, View Source [SID1234612965]). The agreement includes an $8.0 million upfront cash payment by Wilson Wolf to Marker in exchange for services relating to Marker’s expertise in the manufacture of cell therapies. Wilson Wolf has agreed to pay Marker an additional $1.0 million if the certain work, as defined in the services agreement, is completed within one year from the onset of the services agreement.

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"Marker Therapeutics has created its own cGMP manufacturing capacity that allows us to service our clinical trials with full control and lower costs when compared to use of contract manufacturing organizations," said Peter Hoang, CEO of Marker Therapeutics. "Our process utilizes Wilson Wolf products and we think our knowledge is highly aligned with Wilson Wolf’s mission to advance the cell and gene therapy field through simplified manufacturing. Wilson Wolf’s payment of $8 million in non-dilutive funding, with potential for another $1 million, for a portion of Marker’s knowledge will be used by Marker to advance its mission to fundamentally improve the way liquid and solid tumors are eliminated. Given how entrenched Wilson Wolf’s technology is in the cell and gene therapy field, we see this as an endorsement of Marker’s manufacturing expertise."

"Marker’s therapies have demonstrated in clinical trials to date the potential to activate the patient’s own immune system while eliminating tumors. This $8 million upfront payment provides Marker with added wherewithal to treat and assess patients," said Mr. Hoang.

"Wilson Wolf’s mission is to create hope for cancer patients, one G-Rex device at a time. We have hundreds of customers using our G-Rex technology for the manufacture of cell and gene therapies that range from early-stage R&D all the way to an FDA approved therapy," said John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Wolf. "Nearly every CAGT organization relies on contract manufacturers to make their therapies for clinical trials. The revolutionary nature of these lifesaving therapies has caused explosive growth in demand on contract manufacturing capacity. As a result, cell and gene therapy companies are incurring skyrocketing costs and long wait times to get their clinical drugs made."

"Marker found a unique way to avoid this problem and created their own FDA registered drug manufacturing facility which integrates a G-Rex based manufacturing process that we believe is extremely simple, cost effective, and easily scaled," said John Wilson. "The way that Marker freed itself of reliance on CMOs inspired Wilson Wolf to enter into a service agreement that we believe will enhance our effort to de-risk the cell and gene therapy industry as a whole."