Mankind Pharma announced on Thursday its plans to acquire a 70% stake in the Belgian company Armed Cell Therapeutics (ACTx) for 48 million euros (511 crore rupees). This deal marks the company's entry into next-generation CAR-T anti-cancer therapies and is an important step in building a global pharmaceutical business based on innovation.
The acquisition, carried out through Mankind's subsidiary in the Netherlands, gives Mankind access to an advanced cellular therapy research platform, as well as a development pipeline targeting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and small cell lung cancer.
This investment reflects a shift in Mankind's acquisition strategy. Previous company operations mainly strengthened its internal pharmaceutical portfolio, including the purchase of oncology and transplantation brands from Panacea Biotec Pharma in 2022 and Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV) in 2024.
The acquisition of BSV expanded Mankind's presence in fertility, women's health, and complex biopharmaceuticals, while also adding international business. The latest deal further immerses the company in the development of experimental cancer treatments.
Although Mankind already has a commercial presence in European markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, its operations remain predominantly focused on India. According to the investor presentation for the quarter ending December 2025, exports accounted for 15 percent of consolidated revenue.
Thus, this transaction deepens Mankind's involvement in Europe, moving it beyond just commercial markets and into the field of biotechnology research and development.
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ACTx is developing modified CAR-T cells designed to overcome the limitations of existing treatments, including relapse and resistance. ACTx's research programs cover Europe and the USA.
Arjun Juneja, Chief Operating Officer of Mankind Pharma, stated that 'innovation will be one of the defining drivers of growth for Mankind in the coming decades.' He noted that this investment will provide access to differentiated scientific platforms and the potential to create numerous next-generation CAR-T candidates.
Among the founders of ACTx are Paul Stoffels, former Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson, and John Mellor, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh. However, the investments also carry development risks, as these treatments remain experimental and will require further clinical validation before reaching the market.