Sensei Biotherapeutics

The company was founded in 1999, previously known as Panacea Pharmaceuticals, and is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. John Celebi, President and CEO, has a background that includes early work at Tularik, Inc. and holds a B.S. in biophysics and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He leads a team with extensive experience in immuno-oncology, credited with advancing numerous programs into clinical studies.

Sensei's core technology is its Tumor Microenvironment Activated Biologics (TMAb™) platform. This platform engineers conditionally active therapeutics designed to target the unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment, specifically its low-pH conditions. This approach aims to activate an immune response selectively against cancer cells while avoiding the on-target, off-tumor toxicities that have challenged previous immunotherapies. The business model centers on the discovery and development of these next-generation treatments, with revenue generated through partnerships and licensing.

The lead product candidate is solnerstotug (formerly SNS-101), a conditionally active monoclonal antibody that blocks the VISTA checkpoint. VISTA is an immune checkpoint that suppresses T-cell activity within the acidic tumor microenvironment. By binding selectively to VISTA only under low-pH conditions, solnerstotug is designed to inhibit its interaction with the PSGL-1 receptor on T-cells, thereby activating an anti-tumor immune response. This pH-sensitive mechanism intends to mitigate risks like cytokine release syndrome that have hindered first-generation anti-VISTA antibodies. Solnerstotug is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial as a monotherapy and in combination with Regeneron's PD-1 inhibitor, Libtayo® (cemiplimab), for patients with advanced solid tumors. The company's pipeline also includes earlier-stage candidates like SNS-102, which targets VSIG4, and SNS-103, targeting CD39, both designed with the same selective activation principle.