CaseBioscience Joins $7.3 Million ARPA-H Project for Ambient Cell Therapy Preservation

CaseBioscience is participating in a multidisciplinary team led by Likarda that has received up to $7.3 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The funding, awarded through ARPA-H's BioStabilization Systems (BoSS) program, aims to develop new technologies for preserving and transporting cell therapies at ambient temperatures, eliminating the need for cold-chain logistics.

The BoSS program seeks to make advanced biological medicines as easy to ship and store as common pharmaceuticals. The Reversible Ambient Biostabilization (RAB) team, one of only three selected for the program, brings together expertise in areas such as preservation science, cell biology, and bioengineering. This initiative could significantly reduce distribution costs and logistical barriers for cell-based therapies.

CaseBioscience will contribute its expertise in clinical media formulation, biopreservation, and cellular metabolism to the project. The initial phase of the program is set to last 15 months. The collaboration aims to integrate specialized physiological mechanisms and novel cell-protective strategies to stabilize therapeutic cells without refrigeration.

Complex cold-chain requirements have historically limited the accessibility of cell therapies for diseases like cancer. Technologies capable of stabilizing cells at room temperature could streamline distribution, potentially expanding access to these advanced treatments globally and overcoming existing logistical challenges.