Pharmaceutical company Novartis has acquired a 15% stake in Gamida Cell, which develops stem cell population expansion technologies, for $35m, with an option to buy it for up to $600m.
Israel-based stem cell treatment company Gamida Cell has received a $35m investment from the corporate venturing arm of drugs maker Novartis in return for a 15% stake.
Novartis will also receive the option to fully acquire Gamida if milestones connected to the development of NiCord, a experimental treatment for hematological malignancies such as leukemia, are met by 2016.
Novartis would have to buy the company for close to $165m in cash, which could rise by an additional $435m depending on…
