STRM.BIO Secures $8.4M ARPA-H Contract to Develop Novel Extracellular Vesicle Platform for In Vivo CAR-T Cell Engineering
Key Insights
STRM.BIO (search) received up to $8.4 million in first-phase funding from ARPA-H (search) to develop its proprietary megakaryocyte-derived extracellular vesicle (search) platform for in vivo immune cell engineering.
The company's novel cell-derived delivery system aims to overcome key barriers limiting current viral and synthetic in vivo delivery technologies for gene therapy applications.
STRM.BIO (search) will lead a collaborative effort with Ginkgo Bioworks, University of British Columbia, and Advanced Bioprocess Services (search) to develop in vivo CAR-T (search) therapeutics using non-viral delivery methods.
STRM.BIO (search), a Cambridge-based biotechnology startup, has secured a significant contract from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H (search)) to advance its innovative extracellular vesicle delivery platform for in vivo cell and gene therapy applications. The award, announced December 3, 2025, provides up to $8.4 million in first-phase funding through ARPA-H's Engineering of Immune Cells Inside the Body (EMBODY) program.
Novel Delivery Platform Addresses Current Limitations
The funding will support development of STRM.BIO (search)'s proprietary megakaryocyte-derived extracellular vesicle (search) (MV) delivery platform, which represents a novel, cell-derived delivery modality designed to overcome key barriers limiting current viral and synthetic in vivo delivery systems. The platform enables precise, efficient, and safe delivery of complex genetic cargos directly to bone marrow in vivo, with potential for multiple dosing when needed.
"This award marks an important milestone for STRM.BIO (search) in our mission to unlock the potential of extracellular vesicles for in vivo cell and gene therapy," said Michael Luther, Ph.D., CEO of STRM.BIO. "Funding from ARPA-H (search) provides us an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate the development of our MV platform and genetic medicines pipeline."
Multi-Partner Collaboration for CAR-T Development
As the Prime Awardee, STRM.BIO (search) will lead a collaborative effort involving several key partners to develop in vivo CAR-T (search) therapeutics. The partnership includes Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which will contribute expertise in RNA construct design and immune cell engineering, the University of British Columbia (UBC), providing expertise in self-amplifying RNA (search) (saRNA) design and biology, and Advanced Bioprocess Services (search) (ABS), offering specialized knowledge in vesicle production and bioprocessing.
This multi-disciplinary approach aims to advance novel in vivo immune cell engineering methods using non-viral delivery technologies. The collaboration leverages each partner's specialized capabilities to develop what could represent a new generation of cell and gene therapies.
Expanding Therapeutic Applications
The EMBODY program, led by ARPA-H (search) Program Manager Daria Fedyukina, Ph.D., focuses on engineering immune cells directly within the body rather than through traditional ex vivo approaches. STRM.BIO (search)'s MV platform technology is designed to address challenges associated with traditional viral and synthetic delivery systems, potentially unlocking new therapeutic opportunities across gene editing, RNA therapeutics, and immune cell engineering.
"This funding from ARPA-H (search) is transformative for high-impact projects like this," said David Raiser, Ph.D., COO of STRM.BIO (search). "We're fortunate to be able work with partners who share our vision and drive for a new generation of in vivo cell and gene therapies enabled by innovative, non-viral delivery technologies."
CEO Luther emphasized the broader implications of the research, stating that "the insights gained from this effort will expand the potential of our MV platform, opening new pipeline opportunities for in vivo engineering of immune and hematopoietic cells to address unmet medical needs, and advance the broader field of cell and gene therapy."
The company's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, positions it within a major biotechnology hub as it works to develop this novel delivery modality for safe, targeted, and scalable in vivo delivery of genetic medicines.