Clinical stage Biopharmaceutical Company, Gamida Cell Ltd. and Be The Match BioTherapies, a subsidiary of the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match offering integrated platforms and software to manage the collection and delivery of cellular therapies has announced a strategic collaboration to improve outcomes for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplantation.

The collaboration supports NiCord, Gamida Cell’s investigational cell therapy, which has the potential to serve as a universal bone marrow donor source for patients with hematologic malignancies, or blood cancers, and bone marrow failure disorders requiring bone marrow transplantation.

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Gamida Cell and Be The Match BioTherapies will explore opportunities to work together across Gamida Cell’s ongoing clinical development program for NiCord, including the Phase 3 clinical study in patients with high-risk blood cancers. Be The Match BioTherapies has an extensive history of involvement in the delivery of cord blood units for transplant and broad access to cord blood banks globally.

The collaboration is expected to leverage a wide range of Be The Match BioTherapies’ research assets and services, including the Be The Match Registry, the largest in the world with more than 20 million potential donors, as well as personalized case management and logistics services.

Amy Ronneberg, president of Be The Match BioTherapies said, “Gamida Cell’s work to bring a new therapeutic option to patients in need of a bone marrow transplant aligns with our core mission to help organizations deliver cellular therapies that save more lives and improve the quality of life for patients. This collaboration is designed to leverage our expertise in cellular therapy to support the advancement of Gamida Cell’s clinical development and product delivery efforts.”

Julian Adams, chief executive officer of Gamida Cell said, “Be the Match BioTherapies is a respected leader in cell therapy, with especially deep roots in stem cell transplantation. Our two organizations share the belief that new cell therapies are needed not only to improve outcomes for patients undergoing stem cell transplants but also to offer patients unable to find a matched donor the chance for a successful transplant,” stated. “This collaboration maximizes the strengths and expertise of our teams to help move us closer to our common goal of transforming this important area of medicine.”

Despite the curative potential of bone marrow transplants, it is estimated that more than 40 percent of eligible patients in the U.S. do not receive one for various reasons, including difficulty in finding a matched donor. NiCord is designed to potentially serve as a universal alternative to existing donor sources for bone marrow transplant.