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Selecta Biosciences

Biotech & Life Sciences · Watertown, United States · Founded 2008 · IPO 2016

Selecta Biosciences, now operating as Cartesian Therapeutics following a strategic merger in November 2023, is a clinical-stage biotechnology firm at the forefront of RNA cell therapy for autoimmune diseases. The company was originally founded in 2008 by a distinguished team including MIT's Dr. Robert Langer, Harvard Medical School's Dr. Omid Farokhzad and Dr. Ulrich von Andrian, and the company's CSO, Dr. Takashi Kei Kishimoto. The founders' extensive expertise in drug delivery and immunology laid the groundwork for the company's core technology. Initially, Selecta focused on developing antigen-specific immunotherapies based on its ImmTOR platform, designed to mitigate unwanted immune responses to biologic drugs. A significant milestone in its history was the strategic decision to merge with Cartesian Therapeutics, a move that shifted the combined entity's focus entirely to Cartesian's promising RNA-engineered cell therapy pipeline. The company's business model centers on the development and commercialization of novel cell therapies. Its primary market is the treatment of various autoimmune disorders, a segment with significant unmet medical needs. The lead asset in its portfolio is Descartes-08, an autologous anti-BCMA RNA-engineered Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (rCAR-T) therapy. Unlike conventional DNA-based CAR-T therapies, Descartes-08 is designed to be administered without the need for harsh, lymphodepleting chemotherapy, potentially offering a safer treatment profile for patients. This therapy is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease, with potential applications in other autoimmune indications like lupus and vasculitis. The merger has positioned the new Cartesian Therapeutics to leverage Selecta's public company infrastructure and resources to accelerate the clinical development of its RNA cell therapy candidates, aiming to provide transformative treatments for patients with debilitating autoimmune conditions. Keywords: RNA cell therapy, autoimmune disease, Cartesian Therapeutics, myasthenia gravis, Descartes-08, rCAR-T, clinical-stage, biotechnology, immunology, B-cell maturation antigen