Replies to post #356366 on NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[TheFollower]

CRL has been real solid the past 4 years.

[Bob_LobLaw]

"CRL will make multiple billions of dollars manufacturing DCVax vaccines over the next decade"

Cognate selling for $875 million minus the expected fair value of equity they owned in NWBO makes that statement very difficult to believe. I want to believe it. My sizable (to me relative to my overall portfolio) share position is begging for it to be true.

[Just The Facts Jack]

Doesn't Merck have something to do with this Cognate deal? I mean they have to, right? Since Merck is ultimately behind everything happening with NWBO, they have to be behind this too, right? Just connect a few more dots for us and I'll be all in!

In all seriousness, there have been a lot of people who have left the employ of NWBO over the years. Pretty much all of them have gone on to bigger and better - and certainly more productive - careers. That most of them would remain in the bio tech field and that NWBO would eventually cross paths with them again at some point is not in the least surprising.

The sale of Cognate is a giant distraction. I don't believe it has anything to do with NWBO. Cognate is a company that has grown exponentially in the last few years precisely because it disconnected from NWBO (a deal that enriched the NWBO CEO but not NWBO's shareholders). Cognate is booming because of its contracts with companies that are not NWBO - i.e., companies that actually produce things. We don't know if Charles River will even keep the NWBO contract, but they would be fools to dump a contract that pays them a fee for doing nothing. To believe NWBO has anything to do with this deal seems quite a stretch - especially when some of us remember NWBO's last association with Cognate being the settlement of a dispute that almost led to a lawsuit. But, hey, keep dreaming and maybe one day your dream will come true.

[Evaluate]

you wrote:

There are some connections between NWBio, Charles Rivers Laboratories (CRL), Anne Lodge, Cognate, Marnix Bosch, etc., that some Bears are refusing to see or acknowledge, but I see those connections clearly.

In terms of strategy, some on this board are playing checkers. Strategically, CRL & NWBio are playing 3-Dimensional chess

I believe CRL bought Cognate primarily because of NWBio, DCVax-L & DCVax Direct. CRL will make multiple billions of dollars manufacturing DCVax vaccines over the next decade, to treat most, if not all, solid tumor cancers worldwide, both operable & inoperable. CRL will also pick up other cell & gene therapy customers along the way.

Very interesting!
Charels River
Cellero
Hemacare
Astarte Biologics
Anne Lodge
Cognate
https://www.hemacare.com/news/charles-river-acquires-cellero/
Charles River Acquires Cellero
August 5, 2020
We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Cellero (formerly Key Biologics and Astarte Biologics), a premier provider of cellular products for cell therapy developers and manufacturers worldwide.
Cellero will complement Charles River’s recent acquisition of HemaCare by enhancing the supply of critical biomaterials, including a wide range of human-derived primary cell types to support the discovery, development, and manufacture of cell therapies.
The combination of Cellero with HemaCare will enhance Charles River’s unique, comprehensive solutions for the high-growth cell therapy market, strengthening its ability to help accelerate clients’ critical programs from basic research and proof-of-concept to regulatory approval and commercialization. It will also expand Charles River’s provision of high-quality, human-derived biomaterials and related services with Cellero’s unique product portfolio and donor sites in both the eastern and western United States.

https://blog.hemacare.com/dendritic-cell-glioblastoma
Blog | HemaCare
Brain Cancer Vaccine Could Improve Prognosis
Jul 30, 2018 10:18:00 AM / by Stacy Matthews Branch, DVM, PhD

Glioblastoma multiforme is an aggressive cancer of the brain or spinal cord that originates from astrocytes. Although this type of cancer is not age specific, it is diagnosed more often in older patients. Glioblastoma is very difficult to treat, and current options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, use of electrical fields (tumor treating fields), and targeted therapies to prevent tumor blood vessel formation. On average, people live for about 15 months after diagnosis despite receiving the standard treatments for glioblastoma.
Immunotherapy for glioblastoma has been considered a viable option because of the capacity of immune cells to specifically target tumor cells within tissues. The primary immune cells identified for this approach are dendritic cells, powerful antigen-presenting cells that can prime naïve T cells to generate cytotoxic T cells. Researchers developed and studied the use of a dendritic cell-based vaccine as a treatment for glioblastoma. The vaccine (DCVax) consists of dendritic cells incubated with tumor lysates or synthetic peptides to elicit anti-glioblastoma tumor immunity.
To achieve the vaccine treatment, blood is obtained from the patients, and dendritic cells are extracted. The tumor cells from patients were used to make the lysates for incubation with dendritic cells, and the resultant DCVax was given to the patients of the treatment group. The injections were given by intra-dermal injection in the arm 6 times in the first year and then only twice per year after that.
The median overall survival rate for those treated with DCVax was 23 months. Two-year survival rates were seen in over 45% of the patients and 3-year survival rates were observed in over 25% of the patients. The DCVax vaccine was found to be well tolerated with a low percentage of adverse events. Although the study is still ongoing, results thus far suggest that the dendritic cell vaccine may be a promising treatment for patients with glioblastoma. The significant increase in life expectancy seen with the studied dendritic cell vaccine can provide the basis for further studies of its safe use in combination therapies for this brain cancer.
At HemaCare, we provide dendritic cells and a variety of human cells and tissues to support your cancer research.
Reference:
Ghanmi, S. (2018). Brain Cancer Vaccine Could Give Patients Extra Years Of Life. Tech Times. Retrieved 12 June 2018, from http://www.techtimes.com/articles/229052/20180531/brain-cancer-vaccine-could-give-patients-extra-years-of-life.htm

Aug 13, 2020·
from Anne Lodge. Chief Science and Innovation Officer at Cellero
https://cellero.medium.com/cellero-to-join-charles-river-1fc417ad8d98
Exciting news!
On August, 5, 2020, Cellero announced that we will officially be joining Charles River.
This change will complement Charles River’s recent acquisition of HemaCare and allow our company to better serve customers and partners across the cell and gene therapy lifecycle.
This unified organization will enhance the supply of critical biomaterials, including a wide range of human-derived primary cell types to support the discovery, development, and manufacture of cell therapies.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annelodge/
Anne Lodge
Experience
Charles River Laboratories
Consultant
Company Name Charles River Laboratories Contract
Dates Employed Aug 2020 – Present
Employment Duration7 mos
Location Bothell, Washington, United States
I love science and I want to use my experience to help advance our understanding of the human immune system.
Cellero
Chief Science and Innovation Officer
Company Name Cellero Full-time
Dates Employed May 2020 – Aug 2020
Employment Duration 4 mos
LocationUSA
I have a new job. It’s the same job I’ve had for 12 years now, working at a fantastic company. You knew us as Astarte Biologics (@AstarteBio). Now, we are Cellero!
Our mission is to help all of you — scientists, researchers, engineers, physicians, entrepreneurs — succeed in creating and administering tomorrow’s treatments and cures. Together we can help more people on their journeys to health and wellness.
…

Key Biologics and Astarte Biologics Rebrand as Cellero and Announce Completion of Phase One of $50 Million Multi-Year Expansion Plan
Astarte Biologics, Inc.
Founder
Company Name Astarte Biologics, Inc.
Dates Employed Aug 2008 – May 2020
Employment Duration 11 yrs 10 mos
Astarte Biologics provides characterized human cells and animal model systems for study of inflammation and immunity.
Ventana Medical Systems
Director, Lab Operations
Company Name Ventana Medical Systems
Dates Employed Apr 2006 – Jul 2008
Employment Duration 2 yrs 4 mos
Directed a CAP/CLIA laboratory providing clinical trial services to pharma companies with the goal of establishing clinical utility of tissue-based biomarkers.
Astarte Biologics
President, CEO
Company Name Astarte Biologics
Dates Employed Apr 2004 – Mar 2006
Employment Duration 2 yrs
Research reagents. Human Immune cells, antigens.
Northwest Biotherapeutics
Vice President of Operations
Company Name Northwest Biotherapeutics
Dates Employed Jul 1996 – Mar 2004
Employment Duration 7 yrs 9 mos
Development and manufacture of autologous dendritic cell vaccine for treatment of prostate cancer.

Together we can help more people on their journeys to health and wellness.