Astellas Pharma and Yaskawa Electric Sign Definitive Agreement to Launch New Cell Therapy Manufacturing Organization

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Astellas Pharma and Yaskawa Electric have signed a definitive agreement to establish a joint venture aimed at advancing cell therapy manufacturing through automation. According to Astellas, the partnership will combine Astellas' experience in cell therapy R&D and Yaskawa’s robotics technology—specifically the dual-arm Maholo robot—to improve accuracy, reproducibility, and efficiency in cell manufacturing. Additionally, the partnership aims to address key commercialization challenges, including workforce limitations and technology transfer complexities, while also providing platform access to startups and academic institutions to drive innovation.

The new company is expected to be officially established in September 2025. At launch, it will have a capital of $30 million, with Astellas and Yaskawa owning a 60% and 40% stake, respectively. The three main business goals will be to implement Maholo in discovering a potential manufacturing process with high precision and reproducibility, expand its use to other facilities and develop a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) cell manufacturing platform, and develop manufacturing processes for product candidates from various partners.¹

In May 2024, the companies signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the potential for creating an innovative cell therapy ecosystem through the combination of Maholo and pharmaceutical technologies.²

References

1. Astellas and YASKAWA Agree to Establish a Joint Venture Focused on Cell Therapy Manufacturing. Astellas. March 6, 2025. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.astellas.com/en/news/29761

2. Astellas Announces a Collaboration with YASKAWA to Create an Innovative Cell Therapy Ecosystem through the Integration of Pharmaceutical and Robotics Technologies. Astellas. May 21, 2024. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.astellas.com/en/news/29201