Capstan Therapeutics, a San Diego, CA-based biotechnology company dedicated to advancing in vivo reprogramming of cells through RNA delivery using targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNP), raised 175M in Series B funding.
The round was led by RA Capital Management, with participation from new investors Forbion, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Mubadala Capital, Perceptive Advisors, Sofinnova Investments and existing investors Alexandria Venture Investments, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, Leaps by Bayer, Novartis Venture Fund, OrbiMed, Pfizer Ventures, Polaris Partners, and Vida Ventures. In conjunction with the funding, Nanna Luneborg, Ph.D., MBA, General Partner at Forbion, will join Capstan’s Board of Directors.
The company intends to use the funds to advance CPTX2309, its lead in vivo chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) candidate, to early clinical proof-of-concept in autoimmune disorders, and to further develop Capstan’s tLNP pipeline.
Led by CEO Laura Shawver, Capstan is a biotechnology company with a mission to multiply the therapeutic possibilities for patients by developing targeted in vivo RNA technologies. The core platform technology comprises proprietary targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNP) that are composed of LNPs conjugated with a recombinant protein binder, such as a monoclonal antibody. tLNPs are designed to deliver payloads, including mRNA or gene editing tools, capable of reprogramming specific cell types in vivo. The platform technology has the potential to generate transformative therapies with possible applications across a broad range of disease areas, including autoimmune disorders, oncology, fibrosis, and monogenic blood disorders.