Ncardia is the result of the 2017 merger of Pluriomics and Axiogenesis. (Getty/designer491)

Ncardia, a human-induced pluripotent stem cell developer,picked up $60 million via a strategic partnership with Kiniciti.

The Belgian iPSC contract research, development and manufacturing company is partnering with the U.S. investment firm to boost discovery, clinical and commercial production capabilities, the companiessaid Tuesday.

Ncardia manufactures iPSC derived cells and provides assay development, disease modeling and cell-based screening. The company is the result of a 2017 combination ofPluriomics and Axiogenesis. Within months of the merger,Ncardiasigned disease modeling licensing pacts with Roche and Evotec.

Now, through its Kiniciti deal, Ncardia can expand globally and invest in good manufacturing practice capabilities for cell therapies, the company said. Ncardia's discovery services will benefit from the financing, said Kiniciti CEO Geoff Glass in a statement.

RELATED:On back of Roche pact, newly formed Ncardia wins iPSC deal with Evotec

That includes building more human cellular models that can predict whether drugs are safe and effective earlier in the development stage, said Stefan Braam, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Ncardia, in a statement. The manufacturing technology will go toward iPSC-based allogenic platforms for immuno-oncology.

Kiniciti is a platform company from private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe that launched in February with$250 million to invest in non-therapeutic cell and gene therapy startups.Biospring Partners joinedas an investor earlier this month for an undisclosed amount.

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Ncardia inks $60M funding deal to expand discovery and commercial production services for stem cells - FierceBiotech