Omidubicel (Gamida Cell)

Ayrmid's new offer values bluebird bio at about $45 million upfront. A rival bidder has emerged to acquire struggling gene therapy specialist bluebird bio.Ayrmid has offered to buy bluebird for $4.50 apiece upfront plus a one-time contingent value right (CVR) of $6.84 per share tied to a sales milestone, bluebird said Friday.The upfront tag is 50% higher than the $3-per-share selling price bluebird has previously penned with Carlyle and SK Capital Partners. That private equity duo’s buyout offer also includes a $6.84-per-share CVR.For now, bluebird’s board has not changed its mind, and the company remains bound by the original merger agreement. But it’s willing to look at the new unsolicited nonbinding written proposal.“Consistent with its fiduciary duties, the bluebird Board of Directors is carefully reviewing the Ayrmid proposal in consultation with its legal and financial advisors,” the Massachusetts biopharma said Friday. A higher price would be good news for bluebird, as the Carlyle-SK offer valued the biotech at a discount, which highlights the challenge the company has faced in commercializing its gene therapies. Bluebird’s cheap sale cast a dark shadow over the entire gene therapy field, which is undergoing an industrywide reckoning.Per bluebird’s merger agreement with the private equity group, the company’s board, on the condition of not breaching its non-solicitation obligations, may withdraw its recommendation for the deal if a more attractive offer emerges. In that case, bluebird’s board must first provide the Carlyle-SK group a right to make counterproposals, according to a securities filing.If bluebird eventually endorses a rival bid, it must pay a termination fee of $1.5 million, which the Ayrmid offer would more than cover. While the original deal values bluebird at about $29 million, the new offer is worth about $45 million upfront.According to bluebird, it had previously approached Ayrmid to gauge its interest in a takeover, but Ayrmid didn’t submit any proposal to bluebird as part of that process. U.K. entity Ayrmid is known as the parent company of Gamida Cell, which is a cell therapy company using a nicotinamide technology to create allogeneic cell products for blood cancers. Gamida sells Omisirge, an FDA-approved allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell therapy for use in patients 12 years and older with hematologic malignancies who are set to receive an umbilical cord blood transplantation.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ayrmid Pharma Ltd., a cell therapy pioneer working to turn cells into powerful therapeutics and RoslinCT, a world leading cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced their intent to enter into a strategic partnership for the production of Omisirge, a commercial product for the treatment of hematologic malignancies commercialized in the US by Gamida Cell Inc, a subsidiary of Ayrmid Pharma Ltd. It is the intent of the two companies to enter into an agreement whereby RoslinCT will perform technology transfer and commercial manufacture of Gamida Cell’s Omisirge. The cell-based product is a nicotinamide modified allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell therapy that was FDA approved and launched in 2023. It is the intent of the two companies that the technology transfer and commercial manufacturing will take place in RoslinCT's state-of-the-art, purpose-built cell therapy CGMP manufacturing facility in Hopkinton, MA. “As part of our global dual sourcing strategy we are delighted to announce that we intend to work with RoslinCT on the technology transfer of Omisirge to their state-of-the-art facility in Hopkinton, MA,” said Dr Joe Wiley, Chief Executive Officer of Ayrmid. He added, “This key strategic move will allow Gamida Cell to source Omisirge for our patients from both our internal manufacturing capability and RoslinCT.” “The dynamic interactions between the two teams are very productive and we look forward to working with the Aymrid Pharma Ltd. and Gamida Cell Inc. teams to support the production of this innovative product for their patients in the United States,” said Peter Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of RoslinCT. He added, “We’re delighted about the intent to partner with Gamida Cell and add this product to the portfolio of commercial products manufactured at RoslinCT.” About Gamida Cell Gamida Cell Inc, a subsidiary of Ayrmid Pharma Ltd. Gamida Cell is a cell therapy pioneer working to turn cells into powerful therapeutics. The company’s proprietary nicotinamide (NAM) technology leverages the properties of NAM to transform cells to create allogeneic cell therapy products and candidates that are potentially curative for patients with hematologic malignancies including Omisirge, approved and launched in 2023. For additional information, please visit www.gamida-cell.com or follow Gamida Cell on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. About RoslinCT RoslinCT is a leading global contract development and manufacturing services organization (CDMO) focused on Advanced Cell and Gene Therapies. Established in 2006 and built upon the ground-breaking technology cloning of Dolly the Sheep at the Roslin Institute in 1997, RoslinCT has harnessed cutting-edge science to advance the development of human medicines. With a remarkable heritage in the field, the company has achieved significant milestones. These include being among one of the first in the world to produce clinical-grade human pluripotent stem cells. In collaboration with the partners, RoslinCT also developed the first CRISPR-edited cell therapy product for a major inherited disorder, taking it from early development to commercialization. Equipped with 22 purpose-built CGMP cell therapy processing suites in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Hopkinton, Massachusetts, RoslinCT provides innovative process and analytical development, CGMP clinical and commercial manufacturing for a range of cell types for both autologous and allogeneic processes, and CGMP iPSC cell line development, gene editing, and differentiation. With tailored CDMO solutions, RoslinCT enables partners to efficiently progress from development to commercialisation and deliver life-saving Cell and Gene Therapies worldwide. RoslinCT is a GHO Capital portfolio company. Discover more about our services at www.roslinct.com or follow RoslinCT on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook.