Leason Ellis Client Cellular Biomedicine Group Signs Major Worldwide Deal with Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Biotech

The Worldwide Collaboration and License Agreement Paves The Way For The Next Generation Of B-Cell Malignancy Treatments

Leason Ellis is pleased to share that our client, Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc. (CBMG), recently signed a major worldwide deal for its CAR-T cell technology with Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen) of Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

This represents one of the largest CAR-T cell deals for J&J. Janssen, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of J&J, announced on May 2, 2023, that it entered into a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with CBMG to develop, manufacture and commercialize next-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. Read the J&J press release for more information.

CBMG is a biopharmaceutical firm developing immunotherapies to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases safely and conducting immune-oncology clinical trials using products from their integrated GMP laboratory.

The deal involves a $245 million upfront payment and multiple milestone and royalty payments.

The Leason Ellis team successfully prosecuted the patents underlying this deal. Leason Ellis also provided essential counsel for complex opinions and due diligence. Our work reflects a collaborative and successful team effort from numerous talented intellectual property professionals at Leason Ellis.

The Leason Ellis team was led by Dr. Michael A. Davitz, a partner in our patent practice group, together with Dr. Jia Li, scientific advisor and patent agent, with assistance from Jordan Garner, a partner and co-chair of the patent practice group, Dr. Kristin Breen, a patent agent, and our trademark and copyright practice group (partner and co-chair Lauren Emerson and associate Nicholas Forgione).

Leason Ellis’ patent services professionals and numerous administrative professionals in our docketing and accounting departments also provided valuable assistance.

We are proud to have played a key role in this deal for our client CBMG.