Cellistic, a pioneer in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-based cell therapies, announced the launch of its Echo-NK platform on April 10, 2025. The new platform enables scalable manufacturing of allogeneic cell therapies targeting multiple diseases, providing a commercially viable solution for off-the-shelf Natural Killer (NK) cell therapies.
NK cells have gained significant attention in the therapeutic landscape due to their ability to destroy harmful cancerous cells in early stages, making them promising candidates for treating blood cancers, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases.
Advancing Scalable Manufacturing for NK Cell Therapies
Building on the Echo Platform launched in 2023, the new Echo-NK solution offers a cost-effective and feeder-free process for scaling up and differentiating iPSC cells into NK cells. A key advantage of the platform is that all critical expansion steps for manufacturing hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and NK cells are performed in bioreactor closed systems within Cellistic's EMA-certified GMP facility in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium.
"Our new platform for NK cell manufacturing represents a paradigm shift in cell therapy," said Tarran Pierfelice, Chief Commercial Officer at Cellistic. "With 15 years of experience in developing cell therapies, we enable scalable and cost-effective production, positioning us to support biotech and pharmaceutical companies in developing safe, potent, and off-the-shelf NK treatments for multiple applications."
The closed-system bioreactor approach provides significant economies of scale compared to traditional 2D processes, addressing one of the major challenges in cell therapy manufacturing.
Comprehensive End-to-End Solution
The Echo-NK platform includes standardized unit operations for drug product manufacturing, encompassing filling, labeling, and cryopreservation using automated processes and compliant manufacturing protocols. Additionally, it provides pre-validated QC testing methods that meet pharmacopoeia standards and implements a rigorous approach to Quality Assurance to monitor operations and ensure reliable and compliant product release.
When combined with Cellistic's Pulse cell line development capabilities and proprietary STAR-CRISPR technology, the Echo-NK platform enables rapid development of stable iPSC cell lines. These cell lines can incorporate drug developers' specific gene edits and are generated prior to Master Cell Bank (MCB) creation.
Clinical Applications and Future Outlook
Cellistic is currently advancing client clinical projects focused on NK cell therapies. The integration of these technologies under one platform accelerates timelines and delivers compliant and scalable processes for the reliable manufacture of NK treatments.
The company's approach addresses several critical challenges in the cell therapy field, including manufacturing scalability, cost-effectiveness, and the need for standardized quality control. By providing an end-to-end solution from cell line development through manufacturing, Cellistic aims to transform the cell therapy landscape and enable more efficient and accessible treatment options.
With 15 years of scientific and technical knowledge in iPSC reprogramming, gene editing, and differentiation development, Cellistic is positioning itself as a partner of choice for innovative cell therapy developers looking to advance their treatments into clinical trials.
