Cellares and Mitsui Fudosan have announced plans to establish Japan’s first commercial-scale automated cell therapy manufacturing facility, marking a step forward in the local production of CAR-T and other cell therapies.

The new site, currently under construction in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, will form part of an integrated development and manufacturing strategy. It is expected to employ 350 people and significantly increase the country’s capacity to produce personalized cell therapies for patients with cancer and other serious diseases.

The facility will be equipped with automated systems designed to lower production costs, improve consistency, and eliminate bottlenecks that often occur in manual manufacturing environments. The company says the aim is to create a fully integrated Smart Factory model that enables local production to meet local demand, removing the need for cross-border transport of patient materials.

Fabian Gerlinghaus, chief executive and co-founder of Cellares, said: “Cellares’ new facility in Kashiwa City will enable our pharma clients to supply Japan from Japan. Manufacturing cell therapies locally simplifies cold chain logistics, accelerates vein-to-vein time and reduces cost. Our Japanese IDMO Smart Factory is part of a broader strategy to be a global manufacturing partner for our clients and meet the total patient demand for cell therapies around the world.”

Located approximately 30 kilometres from central Tokyo, Kashiwa is part of the wider Tokyo metropolitan area and has become a growing hub for life sciences companies. The location of the Smart Factory within this ecosystem is expected to support recruitment, collaboration and supply chain access across the region.

Once operational, the facility will utilise Cellares’ proprietary Cell Shuttle and Cell Q platforms, which combine automation with digital oversight to support rapid, software-enabled tech transfers between global sites. This approach is intended to make the replication of manufacturing processes more efficient, consistent and scalable.

The companies believe that the ability to manufacture CAR-T therapies locally could improve access for Japanese patients, reduce treatment timelines, and support the country’s ambition to accelerate the availability of advanced therapies.

Dr Toshihiko Doi, chairperson of the Kashiwa-no-ha Life Science Committee, said: “For cancer patients in Japan, the establishment of this facility provides access to cutting-edge therapies that can make a critical difference in their fight against diseases. It marks a significant step toward eliminating the drug delivery lag time that has been a challenge for rare disease and oncology treatments.”

Mitsui Fudosan is supporting the project through its local life sciences network and is expected to help ensure engagement with stakeholders across government, pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers.

The facility is part of Cellares’ wider expansion strategy, which aims to increase access to cell therapies through regional Smart Factories connected by shared technology infrastructure and digital workflows.