Cellogen is promoted by Dr. Gaurav Kharya, Director, Centre for Bone Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR T) cell therapy program is at an advanced stage for Cellogen Therapeutics where the T cells of the patients are genetically engineered to identify and kill the cancer cells. Cellogen Therapeutics has developed bi-specific CARs and also added another co stimulatory domain to increase the efficacy and persistence of the CAR in human body as compared to currently available CAR constructs that are mono-specific with one co-stimulatory domain. Both these innovations are aimed at reducing the risk of relapse post CAR T cell therapy which remains a major challenge with existing CAR constructs.

Current available products in market cost around US$ 500,000 – 700,000 which Cellogen aims to bring down to US$ 60,000 – 70,000.

Another program on which Cellogen Therapeutics is working is gene therapy program for transfusion dependent thalassemia and sickle cell disease.

As per rough estimates, 40,000 kids are born each year with these disorders in India (10,000 with thalassemia and 30,000 with sickle cell disease).

Natco Pharma has acquired 5.38% shareholding of Cellogen for a total cash consideration of Rs 15.01 crore. The investment has been made to support development of affordable cell and gene therapies in India.

Sri Rajeev Nannapaneni, Director & CEO, NATCO Pharma, said: "Cellogen’s area of research work involving innovative and cost-effective cell and gene therapies for addressing various oncological, hematological and metabolic diseases is in line with our core value of providing advanced healthcare with affordability and is basis of our investment thesis.”

Natco Pharma is engaged in the business of pharmaceuticals which comprises research and development, manufacturing and selling of bulk drugs and finished dosage formulations. The company has manufacturing facilities in India which caters to both domestic and international markets including regulated markets like United States of America and Europe.

The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 369.00 crore in the quarter ended September 2023 as against Rs 56.80 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2022. Sales jumped 138.69% to Rs 1031.40 crore in Q2 FY24 from Rs 432.10 crore in Q2 FY23.

The scrip rose 0.12% to currently trade at Rs 819.50 on the BSE.