Mankind Pharma Acquires 70% Stake in Belgium Biotech ACTx for 48 Million Euros

Mankind Pharma Ltd. (NSE:MANKIND) has agreed to purchase a 70% stake in Belgian biotechnology company Armed Cell Therapeutics, also known as ACTx, for 48 million euros. The transaction will be executed through its subsidiary, Mankind Pharma (Netherlands) B.V. The acquisition marks the drugmaker's entry into next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) cancer treatments as it expands its international research footprint.

The deal broadens Mankind Pharma's acquisition strategy beyond its traditional focus on India, following past purchases of oncology assets from Panacea Biotec Pharma in 2022 and Bharat Serums and Vaccines in 2024. ACTx is developing experimental treatments for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and small cell lung cancer, including approaches that target multiple cancer markers and techniques to produce CAR-T cells directly inside a patient's body. Mankind Pharma Chief Operating Officer Arjun Juneja noted that innovation will serve as a key growth driver, with exports accounting for 15% of consolidated revenues in the December 2025 quarter.

Investors will monitor how ACTx progresses its early-stage research pipeline through safety and effectiveness trials and regulatory review processes. The commercial return on the acquisition will depend on whether these experimental cell therapies successfully advance toward approved clinical treatments.