Kincell Bio Appoints Industry Veteran Larry Pitcher as CEO to Drive Cell Therapy Manufacturing Expansion
Key Insights
Kincell Bio (search), a leading cell therapy CDMO, has promoted Lawrence "Larry" Pitcher from COO to Chief Executive Officer effective immediately.
Pitcher succeeds Mark R. Bamforth (search) OBE, who transitions to Executive Chair after guiding the company through a successful growth phase in 2025.
The leadership change comes as Kincell Bio (search) expands its manufacturing capabilities to support clients' cell therapy programs progressing into pivotal studies and commercial launch.
Kincell Bio (search), a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in cell therapy, has promoted industry veteran Lawrence "Larry" Pitcher to Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Pitcher, who has served as Chief Operating Officer since March 2025, succeeds Mark R. Bamforth (search) OBE, who will transition to Executive Chair of the Board to continue providing strategic leadership during this pivotal growth phase.
Strategic Leadership Transition During Transformational Growth
The leadership change comes at a critical juncture for Kincell Bio (search), following what the company describes as a transformational 2025. The year marked significant expansion with the addition of new clients at both of the company's manufacturing sites and the progression of established clients' lead programs into pivotal studies. As COO, Pitcher has been instrumental in expanding Kincell Bio's production capabilities, processes, and systems to support both pivotal and commercial-stage cell therapies.
"Larry has a proven track record scaling cell and gene therapy manufacturing operations and aligning them with client and patient needs," said Mark R. Bamforth (search) OBE, former CEO and now Executive Board Chair. "His leadership of our operational capabilities positions Kincell Bio (search) to better serve our clients as they progress into late-stage trials and commercial launch."
Extensive Biomanufacturing Experience
Pitcher brings substantial experience in cell and gene therapy manufacturing to his new role. Prior to joining Kincell Bio (search), he served as VP & GM at Catalent's Maryland gene therapy site, described as one of the largest sites in the industry, where he cultivated robust commercial manufacturing operations and drove significant revenue and profitability gains. His career includes leadership positions at Thermo Fisher, Brammer Bio (search), and RTI Surgical across Europe and the United States, where he consistently delivered operational excellence and growth.
With a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Western Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Florida, Pitcher combines technical expertise with strategic business acumen. He assumes the CEO role as Kincell Bio (search) accelerates cell therapy product supply from its Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Gainesville, Florida manufacturing sites.
Focus on Cell Therapy Manufacturing Excellence
"I'm honored to assume the CEO role at Kincell Bio (search). Together with our skillful teams, we will expand our clinical development and commercial supply infrastructure, accelerate technology transfer, and strengthen our commitment to deliver life-changing cell therapies efficiently and reliably," Pitcher stated.
Kincell Bio (search) specializes in supporting innovative companies developing immune cell therapies, including autologous and allogeneic CAR-T (search), TCRs (search), Tregs (search), and CAR-NK programs, while also developing expertise in stem cell products and iPSCs. The company provides industry-leading process and analytical development, along with early- and late-stage clinical cGMP manufacturing capabilities serving biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
The organization's mission centers on supporting innovators from early development through pivotal clinical stages and commercial launch with tailored CMC development, manufacturing, and analytical services. Pitcher's elevation to CEO reinforces this commitment as the cell therapy manufacturing sector continues to expand and mature.