Kincell Bio

Kincell Bio

Cell therapy CDMO: development, CMC, manufacturing

Overview

Kincell Bio provides manufacturing and development services for companies creating immune cell therapies, such as CAR-T and CAR-NK treatments. The company works by acting as an extension of its clients' teams, handling the complex process of turning laboratory research into clinical-grade products through specialized consulting and factory production. Unlike larger competitors, Kincell focuses specifically on the needs of early-stage biotech startups and academic spinouts by offering personalized partnerships and scalable facilities. Its goal is to streamline the path from initial research to clinical trials by solving the manufacturing challenges that often slow down new medical treatments.

About Kincell Bio

Simplify's Rating
Why Kincell Bio is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Consulting

Industrial & Manufacturing

Biotechnology

Healthcare

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Early VC

Total Funding

$58M

Headquarters

Gainesville, Florida

Founded

2023

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • September 17, 2026 merger expanded financing with NewSpring, Kineticos, HealthQuest, Great Point, and JPMorgan.
  • RTP expansion finished in Q3 2026, adding two suites for commercial-scale cell therapy.
  • Larry Pitcher now leads operations after Catalent Maryland and Brammer Bio scaling roles.

What critics are saying

  • The September 2026 merger can distract teams, delay tech transfers, and disrupt client programs.
  • Kincellis inherits integration risk across Gainesville, RTP, and The Woodlands before commercial launch.
  • A failed merger integration or quality event collapses Kincellis before commercialization.

What makes Kincell Bio unique

  • Kincellis combines immune-cell, stem-cell, iPSC, exosome, and mRNA manufacturing across three U.S. sites.
  • It operates 16 GMP suites and 140,000 square feet for clinical and commercial supply.
  • The platform has released 150-plus GMP batches and supported 10 IND filings in 2026.

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Funding

Total Funding

$58M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

2 Rounds

Early VC funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
Early VC Funding Comparison
Coming Soon

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Sabbatical Leave

Hybrid Work Options

Stock Options

Company Equity

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Performance Bonus

Profit Sharing

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Relocation Assistance

Employee Referral Bonus

Student Loan Assistance

Parental Leave

Family Planning Benefits

Fertility Treatment Support

Adoption Assistance

Childcare Support

Elder Care Support

Pet Insurance

Bereavement Leave

Professional Development Budget

Conference Attendance Budget

Training Programs

Tuition Reimbursement

Professional Certification Support

Mentorship Program

Wellness Program

Mental Health Support

Gym Membership

Commuter Benefits

Meal Benefits

Phone/Internet Stipend

Home Office Stipend

Legal Services

Employee Discounts

Company Social Events

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↑ 3%

1 year growth

↑ 4%

2 year growth

↑ 5%
Yahoo Finance
Sep 17th, 2026
Kincell Bio and Cellipont Bioservices merge to form Kincellis Advanced Therapies CDMO

Kincell Bio and Cellipont Bioservices have merged to form Kincellis Advanced Therapies, a US-based contract development and manufacturing organisation focused on cell therapies and other advanced modalities. The combination brings together Kincell's expertise in immune-cell technologies with Cellipont's experience across stem cells, iPSCs, MSCs, dendritic cells, exosomes and mRNA-enabled approaches. Together, the companies have released more than 150 GMP batches for clients and are supporting 10 IND filings this year. Darren Head serves as chief executive officer of Kincellis. Larry Pitcher has been appointed president. The merged entity operates approximately 140,000 square feet of development and manufacturing infrastructure across Gainesville, Florida; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; and The Woodlands, Texas, with 16 operational GMP manufacturing suites. The operations team comprises more than 200 members.

Contract Pharma
Sep 17th, 2026
Kincell Bio, Cellipont merge to form Kincellis Advanced Therapies.

Kincell Bio, Cellipont merge to form Kincellis Advanced Therapies. New advanced therapies CDMO combines immune-cell, stem-cell and mRNA-enabled capabilities across three U.S. sites. September 17, 2026 Associate Editor, Contract Pharma Editor's Take: The merger creates a larger, more capable cell therapy CDMO at a time when drug developers are looking for manufacturing partners that can support programs from early development through commercial production. 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. The combined company brings together Kincell's depth in immune-cell technologies with Cellipont's experience across stem cells, iPSCs, MSCs, dendritic cells, exosomes and emerging mRNA-enabled approaches. This combined scientific breadth enables Kincellis to support autologous and allogeneic therapies across a wide range of cell types and modalities - from early development through commercial supply - giving customers access to deeper technical expertise and more comprehensive solutions within one organization. Together, the two companies have released more than 150 GMP batches for clients and are supporting 10 IND filings this year alone. Darren Head serves as CEO of Kincellis and brings a track record of building advanced therapies CDMOs over the last two decades. "Kincell and Cellipont are highly complementary in their science, facilities and the stages of development they serve. 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," Head remarked. Kincellis operates approximately 140,000 square feet of development and manufacturing infrastructure across Gainesville, Florida; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; and The Woodlands, Texas. The combined network includes 16 operational, qualified GMP manufacturing suites supporting programs from early development and clinical manufacturing through pivotal and commercial supply. The three-site network provides customers with greater flexibility, capacity and continuity as programs advance, while enabling Kincellis to align programs with the technical teams and manufacturing capabilities best suited to their development stage and supply needs. The experienced operations team, comprising leaders from both organizations and more than 200 dedicated team members, will be led by Larry Pitcher, President of Kincellis Advanced Therapies (formerly CEO of Kincell Bio). Add us as a preferred source on Google. Get the latest Contract Pharma news, insights and analysis in your Google Search and AI experiences.

European Pharmaceutical Review
Jan 19th, 2026
Kincell Bio promotes Bruce Thompson to President and Chief Technology Officer

Kincell Bio promotes Bruce Thompson to President and Chief Technology Officer. The cell therapy-focused CDMO has also elevated Melodie Bryce to Chief Quality Officer and Matt Haines to Chief Operations Officer. Cell therapy-focused contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) Kincell Bio has made a trio of promotions to its senior leadership team. * Mandatory essentials of USP General Chapter 41 -calibration, minimum weight, repeatability and accuracy requirements, and performance checks * Informational statements of USP General Chapter 1251 - the concept of a safety factor * Performance checks - general requirements Its speaker will address specific USP-related questions in a Q&A format at the end of the webinar. The US firm has promoted its founding CEO Bruce Thompson to President and Chief Technology Officer and elevated Melodie Bryce to Chief Quality Officer and Matt Haines to Chief Operations Officer. Kincell Bio's Chief Executive Officer Larry Pitcher said: "Bruce, Melodie and Matt have demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise, and their expanded roles further strengthen its ability to deliver innovative, high-quality solutions for its clients while accelerating access to transformative therapies for patients. "Together with our highly skilled teams, we will continue to expand our clinical development and commercial supply infrastructure, accelerate technology transfer and strengthen our commitment to delivering life-changing cell therapies efficiently and reliably." Thompson's prior leadership roles include VP of Process Sciences at Lyell Immunopharma. He has also held technical and operational leadership positions at Resilience and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where he led GMP manufacturing of cell and gene therapy products. Bryce has nearly three decades of experience in quality leadership, spanning cell therapy, antibody and aseptic production, previously held senior quality leadership roles at KBI Biopharma, Cognate BioServices, Matica Biotechnology and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. Meanwhile, Haines brings to his new role over 20 years of biotech experience, specialising in manufacturing sciences and operations at Biogen, Amgen and Merck. Before joining Kincell, he served as VP of Manufacturing Operations at Inceptor Bio, a cell therapy innovator, and Senior Director at AveXis/Novartis Gene Therapies.

Contract Pharma
Jan 6th, 2026
Kincell Bio Promotes Lawrence Pitcher to CEO

Kincell Bio promotes Lawrence Pitcher to CEO. Pitcher offers experience scaling cell and gene therapy manufacturing operations and aligning them with client and patient needs. Kincell Bio, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in cell therapy, has promoted Lawrence "Larry" Pitcher to Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Pitcher succeeds Mark R. Bamforth OBE, who guided the company through a successful phase of growth as CEO and will continue to support the transition in a strategic capacity as Executive Chair of the Board. "Larry has a proven track record scaling cell and gene therapy manufacturing operations and aligning them with client and patient needs," said Mark R. Bamforth OBE. "His leadership of our operational capabilities positions Kincell Bio to better serve our clients as they progress into late-stage trials and commercial launch." As COO since March 2025, Pitcher has been instrumental in applying his experience to expanding Kincell Bio's production capabilities, processes, and systems to support pivotal and commercial-stage cell therapies. Prior to joining Kincell Bio, he served as VP & GM at Catalent's Maryland gene therapy site where he cultivated robust commercial manufacturing operations and drove significant revenue and profitability gains. His earlier roles include leadership positions at Thermo Fisher, Brammer Bio, and RTI Surgical across Europe and the U.S., where he delivered consistent operational excellence and growth. With a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Western Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Florida, Pitcher brings technical expertise and strategic vision to the CEO role. He takes the helm at a pivotal time as Kincell Bio accelerates cell therapy product supply from its Research Triangle Park, NC, and Gainesville, FL sites. "I'm honored to assume the CEO role at Kincell Bio. Together with our skillful teams, we will expand our clinical development and commercial supply infrastructure, accelerate technology transfer, and strengthen our commitment to deliver life-changing cell therapies efficiently and reliably," Pitcher shared.

Business Wire
May 16th, 2025
NewSpring Capital and Kineticos Life Sciences Lead $22 Million Investment in Cell Therapy CDMO, Kincell Bio; Appoints Industry Veteran Pete Buzy to Board of Directors

Kincell Bio announced the completion of a $22 million round, led by a new investor, NewSpring Capital through its dedicated healthcare strategy, NewSpring He...

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