Mankind Pharma buys majority stake in CAR-T biotech ACTx for €48M
What's the deal? Mankind Pharma is acquiring a 70% stake in Armed Cell Therapeutics B.V. (ACTx)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Belgium-incorporated biotechnology company, for €48 million. The deal, disclosed in a regulatory filing to the National Stock Exchange of India, will be executed through its wholly-owned Dutch subsidiary and paid in instalments.
Why now? Mankind Pharma's board approved the plan at its October 15, 2026 meeting. It also cleared an additional investment of up to €45 million into Mankind Pharma (Netherlands) B.V., raising the subsidiary's aggregate investment limit to €50 million.
What's the endgame? ACTx develops next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies for cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and small cell lung cancer. Its research and development runs through teams in the US and Europe, built around a pipeline of CAR-T assets with integrated payloads to sustain antitumor activity.
The acquisition marks Mankind Pharma's entry into advanced cancer therapeutics. It fits a long-term strategy of building what the company calls a "global, innovation-led pharmaceutical business."
The signal: The deal pushes an Indian generics-focused player into one of oncology's most complex and costly frontiers. Mankind Pharma frames the bet as making transformative therapies more accessible in emerging markets like India — a test of whether CAR-T can reach beyond wealthy health systems.
Read more: businessupturn.com
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