RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Kincell Bio said it has promoted three senior executives to expanded leadership roles as the cell therapy contract development and manufacturing organization moves to scale operations and support reliable, high-quality patient supply.
The leadership changes include the promotion of Bruce Thompson, Ph.D., to President and Chief Technology Officer; Melodie Bryce to Chief Quality Officer; and Matt Haines to Chief Operations Officer. The company said the appointments are aimed at strengthening its technical, quality, and operational capabilities as demand for cell therapy manufacturing continues to grow.
Thompson, Kincell Bio’s founding CEO, will oversee technology strategy and innovation, focusing on delivering technical solutions for clients. He brings more than 25 years of experience in cell therapy development and manufacturing. Prior to Kincell, Thompson held leadership roles at Lyell Immunopharma, Resilience, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where he led GMP manufacturing for cell and gene therapy programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Louisville.
Bryce will lead Kincell Bio’s quality strategy, with responsibility for quality systems and regulatory compliance across operations. She brings nearly three decades of experience in quality leadership across cell therapy, antibody production, and aseptic manufacturing. Her background includes senior roles at KBI Biopharma, Cognate BioServices, Matica Biotechnology, and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. Bryce holds a B.S. from North Carolina Wesleyan University.
Haines will oversee operations, including clinical supply, manufacturing scalability, and facility expansion. He has more than 20 years of experience in biotechnology manufacturing and operations, with prior roles at Biogen, Amgen, and Merck. Before joining Kincell, Haines served as Vice President of Manufacturing Operations at Inceptor Bio and held a senior leadership role at AveXis, now Novartis Gene Therapies, where he contributed to the approval and launch of a commercial gene therapy. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University.
Kincell Bio said the three leaders were instrumental in advancing client programs in 2025, supporting talent growth and expanding capabilities at the company’s Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Gainesville, Florida sites.
“Bruce, Melodie, and Matt have demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise, and their expanded roles further strengthen our ability to deliver innovative, high-quality solutions for our clients while accelerating access to transformative therapies for patients,” said Larry Pitcher, Chief Executive Officer of Kincell Bio. “Together with our highly skilled teams, we will continue to expand our clinical development and commercial supply infrastructure, accelerate technology transfer, and strengthen our commitment to delivering life-changing cell therapies efficiently and reliably.”
Kincell Bio supports cell therapy innovators from early development through pivotal clinical stages and commercial launch, providing tailored CMC development, manufacturing, and analytical services. The company said it remains focused on helping clients bring advanced cell therapies to patients efficiently and at scale.
