Juno Spends Big on R&D, Production in CAR-T Race to Fight Cancer
- Startup faces off against Kite to develop immune therapies
- Drugmaker builds manufacturing capacity for future products
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At Juno Therapeutics Inc.’s manufacturing facility in Bothell, Washington, only one out of 11 incubators was in action on a recent afternoon, gently rocking the soup of cells that are the drugmaker’s cancer-killing therapy, helping them to grow.
The rest of the cellular nurseries in the room, known as bioreactors, weren’t in use -- yet. Juno has invested more than $200 million a year in research and development and created manufacturing capacity far beyond its immediate needs because it’s focusing on the long-term goal of developing a best-in-class treatment, the company says.