At its Navy Yard manufacturing facility, Iovance Biotherapeutics is transforming patients’ immune cells into lifesaving melanoma therapy, writes Kayla Yup for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Iovance’s therapy Amtagvi, the first of its kind approved by the Food and Drug Administration two years ago, uses tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to boost a patient’s immune cells in the fight against advanced melanoma that cannot be removed surgically.
Although headquartered in California, Iovance opened its Philadelphia manufacturing facility in 2021, drawn by the local talent pool and the city’s legacy in pioneering cell therapy. The plant currently employs 600 people.
Another factor in choosing Philadelphia was its close access to several airports.
“Because our patients just don’t have that much time to wait,” said Andrea Karpinecz, vice president of quality control at Iovance.
Iovance receives tumor samples from across the globe at Philadelphia International Airport, converting them into its groundbreaking cell therapy for both clinical trial and commercial purposes. Amtagvi, a one-time treatment, specifically targets solid tumors rather than blood cancers such as leukemia.
Amtagvi is currently priced at $563,000, comparable to other one-time, personalized cell therapies nationwide, though out-of-pocket costs depend on a patient’s insurance coverage.
Read more about Iovance Biotherapeutics and its lifesaving work in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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