San Diego Cell Therapy CDMO Acquired by Healthcare-Focused Private Equity Firm

Performance Cell Manufacturing (PCM), a contract development and manufacturing organization ( CDMO ) with more than 15 years of experience in manufacturing cell therapies, has been acquired by Great Point Partners (GPP), a Greenwich, CT-based private investment firm focused on the healthcare industry. As part of the deal, the company also announced that it will operate under a new name: Cellipont Bioservices.

This is the latest in a series of CDMO investments by Great Point Partners. The firm has also made investments in other CDMOs, including Cytovance Biologics, MaSTherCell, Tergus Pharma and Bionova Scientific.

“The Cellipont Bioservices team continues to demonstrate their ability to deliver for clients with an unwavering commitment to quality as its top priority,” said Noah Rhodes, managing director, Great Point Partners. “Across their process development and manufacturing services, the team shares both scientific depth and a steadfast dedication to client service. We were impressed with the business from the first meeting that we had with founder Bob Harman, and we look forward to supporting the Cellipont team as it expands its offerings to help deliver promising new cell therapies to patients.”

Cellipont Bioservices’ board of directors has appointed Deborah Wild as president and CEO and Will James as chief financial officer. Carolyn Wrightson, who has served as chief operating officer for the predecessor company for more than 15 years, will continue in that role.

Ms. Wild said, “As we shift into the next chapter of the company’s existence, we felt rebranding was important to reflect the essence of our team and mission. By combining ‘cell’ with the latin root for bridge (pont), the name Cellipont Bioservices reflects several dimensions of our vision:  we bridge our innovator clients with patients; we bridge technical excellence and personal service; and for our team, we bridge personal passion with professional vocation. We are excited to reintroduce Cellipont Bioservices to the industry over the coming months.”