Kincell Bio, Cellipont Bioservices merge to form Kincellis Advanced Therapies
Key Takeaways
- Three-site network: The combined CDMO operates in RTP, Gainesville, Fla., and The Woodlands, Texas, with approximately 140,000 square feet of development and manufacturing space
- RTP expansion: Expanded RTP site adds QC, process development and microbiology labs and increases GMP warehouse capacity
- NC-based leadership: Kincell founding CEO Bruce Thompson is now Kincellis’ Chief Scientific Officer, focusing on CMC strategy, technology development and scalable manufacturing
Kincell Bio and Cellipont Bioservices have merged to form Kincellis Advanced Therapies, a U.S.-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focused on cell therapies and other advanced modalities.
Kincell’s facilities in Gainesville, Florida, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, are now part of Kincellis Advanced Therapies, together with Cellipont’s site in The Woodlands, Texas. 
The new company combines Kincell’s immune-cell expertise with Cellipont’s experience in Regenerative Medicine therapies, such as iPSCs, HSCs, MSCs, dendritic cells, exosomes and mRNA-enabled approaches, supporting autologous and allogeneic therapies from early development to commercial production.
“Kincell and Cellipont are highly complementary in their science, facilities and the stages of development they serve,” said Darren Head, Chief Executive Officer of Kincellis Advanced Therapies. “Together, we can offer customers broader expertise and a more connected path from process and analytical development through late-stage manufacturing, while maintaining the responsiveness and hands-on partnership that are essential in cell therapy.”
Combined, Kincell and Cellipont have released more than 150 GMP batches for clients and are supporting 10 IND filings this year alone.
The new three-site network provides approximately 140,000 square feet of development and manufacturing space, including 16 operational, qualified good manufacturing practice (GMP) suites. This gives customers access to additional manufacturing capacity and specialized technical teams, with the flexibility to match each program to the capabilities best suited to its stage of development and production needs.
A number of our clients’ programs are moving toward commercialization, and our expanded RTP site is playing a critical role in proving the resources, expertise and capabilities these programs need to be successful.
— Larry Pitcher, president of Kincellis Advanced Therapies
RTP facility update
Kincell Bio spun out of Morrisville-based Inceptor Bio’s CMC manufacturing and quality organizations in 2023, establishing a CDMO focused on cell therapies. Earlier this year, Kincell announced an expansion for its RTP facility designed to meet the rigorous demands of late-stage and commercial programs.
The expansion, which became operational in September of this year, includes an additional quality control laboratory, a dedicated MSAT/ASAT lab for process and method validation and technology transfer, and a microbiology lab for rapid sterility testing, facilitating rapid batch release. It also added expanded GMP warehouse capacity to support late-stage clinical development and commercial supply, along with administrative space for more than 100 team members.
“A number of our clients’ programs are moving toward commercialization, and our expanded RTP site is playing a critical role in proving the resources, expertise and capabilities these programs need to be successful,” said Larry Pitcher, president of Kincellis Advanced Therapies. “The RTP facility strategically integrates with our early-phase focused facility in Gainesville, Florida.”
Pitcher said that the RTP site also provides additional capacity for maturing programs in the company’s full lifecycle facility in The Woodlands, Texas. “It’s an added bonus that companies can now launch their commercial products from two sites in our network to enable greater coverage across the US,” he said.
NC-based leadership
Kincell’s North Carolina roots also extend to its leadership. Bruce Thompson has been named chief scientific officer at Kincellis Advanced Therapies, where he will focus on advancing robust, scalable CMC strategies that de-risk programs from first-in-human through commercialization. Thompson, who lives in Wake Forest, N.C., was the founding CEO of Kincell Bio before being promoted to president and chief technology officer earlier in 2026.
“Bringing our two organizations together unites complementary strengths in cell therapy process development, analytical science and GMP manufacturing under a single, scientifically rigorous platform,” said Thompson. “I'm especially excited to build a technical organization where innovation in manufacturing science translates directly into faster, more reliable access to transformative therapies for patients.”
Read more about Kincellis:
North Carolina CDMO Spinout Kincell Bio Raises $36M | North Carolina Biotechnology Center