CaseBioscience joins team receiving up to $7.3M from ARPA-H for cell therapy preservation

FORT COLLINS, Colorado – CaseBioscience announced its participation in a multidisciplinary team that has been awarded up to $7.3 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The funding is for the BioStabilization Systems (BoSS) program, which aims to develop new methods for preserving and transporting live cells at room temperature, removing the need for a cold chain.

The team, led by Likarda and including CaseBioscience alongside experts in bioengineering, cell and stem cell biology, and immunology, is one of three selected for the BoSS program. The initial phase of the project will last 15 months and builds on two decades of research and development in which CaseBioscience researchers have been pioneers.

Existing cell-based therapeutics, particularly in cancer treatment, often face logistical challenges due to their sensitivity and reliance on a continuous cold chain. This limits their accessibility and increases costs. The ARPA-H BoSS program intends to make the storage and transport of advanced biologic drugs as straightforward as conventional medicines.

"This research has the potential to be a paradigm shift in how biologic products are preserved, stored, and distributed," said Dr. John Baust, a biopreservation expert and collaborator on the project. "If successful, this undertaking could remove significant barriers that currently limit access to advanced cell therapies globally."