CaseBioscience Joins Team Awarded $7.3 Million By ARPA-H for Biostabilization Research
In a significant advancement within the field of biotechnology, CaseBioscience® has announced its participation in a pioneering multidisciplinary team led by Likarda. The team has recently been granted up to $7.3 million in funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) as part of the BioStabilization Systems (BoSS) program. This collaborative effort aims to revolutionize the way cell therapy products are manufactured, stored, and transported, potentially paving the way for wider availability of these groundbreaking therapies.
The core mission of the BoSS program is to facilitate the development of innovative technologies capable of preserving, storing, and transporting cells at room temperature, thereby eliminating the need for refrigeration. With the aim of making advanced biological drugs as easy to transport and store as aspirin, the program addresses a critical hurdle in the logistics of cell-based therapies.
The Reversible Ambient Biostabilization (RAB) project, one of only three selected for participation in the BoSS program, brings together experts in various domains such as biological material preservation, cellular biology, metabolic processes, bioengineering, immunology, and stem cell research. Joining CaseBioscience in this endeavor are Draper, CPSI Biotech, Fresenius Kabi, Likarda, MiNK Therapeutics, and Spencer Lab from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
This project is particularly timely as it tackles the complexities associated with cold chain logistics that currently hinder the widespread adoption of cell-based therapies. Many cell-based products necessitate specialized storage, preservation, and transportation conditions to maintain their viability and functionality, creating significant barriers to accessibility. The advent of technologies that stabilize therapeutic cells at ambient temperatures could greatly simplify distribution, reduce logistical bottlenecks, and enhance the availability of these advanced medicinal products.
Dr. John Baust, a leading expert in biological material preservation collaborating on the project with CPSI Biotech, articulated the urgency and potential of the BoSS initiative. "The concept of dry storage for living cells has been in development for over two decades; however, significant scientific and engineering barriers have limited previous outcomes," he stated. The BoSS program offers a unique opportunity to simultaneously address the challenges from multiple scientific and engineering angles. If successful, it could lead to a paradigm shift in the methods of preservation, storage, and distribution of biological drugs.
As this initiative progresses, it continues a long-standing research trajectory that CaseBioscience has been invested in for years. Dr. Lynda McGinnis, the company’s Director of Research and Development, has been a pioneer in early studies on the dry storage of sperm for over 20 years. "This is an excellent opportunity to revisit research that some of our scientists started in Boston two decades ago," said Dr. McGinnis. "It’s time for a completely innovative approach to the storage and transportation of cells used in clinical therapies, and even in reproductive medicine."
Through this collaborative effort, CaseBioscience aims to contribute its expertise in developing media formulations for clinical applications, biological material preservation, and cellular metabolism. Dr. Kevin Flynn, the Scientific Director at CaseBioscience, expressed enthusiasm for the program, noting its potential to yield scientific advancements that could reshape the field. "We are excited to engage in a program with scientific potential and resources to advance concepts that promise major strides in this area. This is our chance to bring our expertise to this unique collaboration, explore possibilities that have previously been out of reach, and turn this potential into real progress," he added.
Ami Mezezi, the co-founder and Managing Director of CaseBioscience, emphasized the significance of this selection by ARPA-H. "The award of this funding affirms the strength of our scientific contributions, preservation technology, and the esteemed team behind it. If cell-based therapies could be stored and transported as conveniently as conventional medicines, it would profoundly impact their accessibility. It is an honor for us to work toward this goal alongside such a remarkable group of partners."
As the initial phase of the BoSS program is already underway, the RAB team has commenced collaborative research and development efforts aimed at achieving these ambitious objectives. CaseBioscience’s commitment to advancing the field of biotechnology through innovative solutions continues to be a driving force in its mission to enhance the quality of life through improved therapeutic accessibility.
For more information about CaseBioscience’s participation in the ARPA-H BoSS program and their latest developments, please visit CaseBioscience.com.
The core mission of the BoSS program is to facilitate the development of innovative technologies capable of preserving, storing, and transporting cells at room temperature, thereby eliminating the need for refrigeration. With the aim of making advanced biological drugs as easy to transport and store as aspirin, the program addresses a critical hurdle in the logistics of cell-based therapies.
The Reversible Ambient Biostabilization (RAB) project, one of only three selected for participation in the BoSS program, brings together experts in various domains such as biological material preservation, cellular biology, metabolic processes, bioengineering, immunology, and stem cell research. Joining CaseBioscience in this endeavor are Draper, CPSI Biotech, Fresenius Kabi, Likarda, MiNK Therapeutics, and Spencer Lab from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
This project is particularly timely as it tackles the complexities associated with cold chain logistics that currently hinder the widespread adoption of cell-based therapies. Many cell-based products necessitate specialized storage, preservation, and transportation conditions to maintain their viability and functionality, creating significant barriers to accessibility. The advent of technologies that stabilize therapeutic cells at ambient temperatures could greatly simplify distribution, reduce logistical bottlenecks, and enhance the availability of these advanced medicinal products.
Dr. John Baust, a leading expert in biological material preservation collaborating on the project with CPSI Biotech, articulated the urgency and potential of the BoSS initiative. "The concept of dry storage for living cells has been in development for over two decades; however, significant scientific and engineering barriers have limited previous outcomes," he stated. The BoSS program offers a unique opportunity to simultaneously address the challenges from multiple scientific and engineering angles. If successful, it could lead to a paradigm shift in the methods of preservation, storage, and distribution of biological drugs.
As this initiative progresses, it continues a long-standing research trajectory that CaseBioscience has been invested in for years. Dr. Lynda McGinnis, the company’s Director of Research and Development, has been a pioneer in early studies on the dry storage of sperm for over 20 years. "This is an excellent opportunity to revisit research that some of our scientists started in Boston two decades ago," said Dr. McGinnis. "It’s time for a completely innovative approach to the storage and transportation of cells used in clinical therapies, and even in reproductive medicine."
Through this collaborative effort, CaseBioscience aims to contribute its expertise in developing media formulations for clinical applications, biological material preservation, and cellular metabolism. Dr. Kevin Flynn, the Scientific Director at CaseBioscience, expressed enthusiasm for the program, noting its potential to yield scientific advancements that could reshape the field. "We are excited to engage in a program with scientific potential and resources to advance concepts that promise major strides in this area. This is our chance to bring our expertise to this unique collaboration, explore possibilities that have previously been out of reach, and turn this potential into real progress," he added.
Ami Mezezi, the co-founder and Managing Director of CaseBioscience, emphasized the significance of this selection by ARPA-H. "The award of this funding affirms the strength of our scientific contributions, preservation technology, and the esteemed team behind it. If cell-based therapies could be stored and transported as conveniently as conventional medicines, it would profoundly impact their accessibility. It is an honor for us to work toward this goal alongside such a remarkable group of partners."
As the initial phase of the BoSS program is already underway, the RAB team has commenced collaborative research and development efforts aimed at achieving these ambitious objectives. CaseBioscience’s commitment to advancing the field of biotechnology through innovative solutions continues to be a driving force in its mission to enhance the quality of life through improved therapeutic accessibility.
For more information about CaseBioscience’s participation in the ARPA-H BoSS program and their latest developments, please visit CaseBioscience.com.
Topics Health）
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