Be Bio pioneers Engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs), a platform that programs primary human B cells to produce therapeutic proteins continuously and durably. Its lead programs, BE-101 (Factor IX for hemophilia B) and BE-102 (alkaline phosphatase for hypophosphatasia), are built on this BCM platform and designed to be titratable and re-dosable without preconditioning. BE-101 has an FDA-cleared IND (May 2024), Fast Track designation (September 2024), and is being evaluated in the Phase 1/2 BeCoMe-9 trial to generate clinical proof-of-concept. BE-102 has been selected as a development candidate and is being advanced toward the clinic. The company says proceeds from the Series C will advance BE-101 through proof-of-concept and move BE-102 into clinical development. Be Bio was founded in October 2020 and is based in Cambridge, Mass. Be Biopharma develops engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs) to improve outcomes for patients with Hemophilia B, other genetic diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions. Its lead program, BE-101, is engineered to insert the human Factor IX (FIX) gene into primary human B cells to enable continuous expression of active FIX. BE-101 aims to deliver sustained therapeutic FIX activity with a single infusion, with the flexibility to be titrated or re-dosed and without the need for preconditioning. The US FDA cleared the BE-101 IND in May 2024 and granted Fast Track designation in September 2024. The company has initiated the Phase 1/2 BeCoMe-9 trial and plans to use the new funding to achieve clinical proof of concept for BE-101 and to advance BE-102. Be Biopharma is led by CEO Joanne Smith-Farrell and is based in Cambridge, MA. Be Biopharma develops Engineered B Cell Medicines (BeCM), operating autologous and allogeneic B‑cell therapy platforms. The company is advancing a broad pipeline initially focused on rare disease and cancer. As it develops its platform, Be Biopharma plans to expand into infectious disease, neurological conditions and autoimmune disease. It closed a $130M financing to support platform advancement and to progress pipeline candidates toward the clinic, bringing total investment to over $180M. Founded in October 2020 and based in Cambridge, MA, the company was launched by Longwood Fund and B‑cell engineering pioneers David Rawlings and Richard James, and is led by CEO Joanne Smith‑Farrell. Be Biopharma develops engineered B cells as a new category of medicines, using the human body's native protein factories to produce therapeutic proteins. The company aims to precisely engineer B cells to exploit their high protein production, selective tissue targeting, and potentially long programmable lifetimes. Be Bio intends its medicines to be durable, re-dosable, and administered without toxic conditioning, opening avenues to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, monogenic disorders, and enhance responses to infectious pathogens. The platform builds on pioneering work by David Rawlings and Richard James at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Leadership and scientific founders include Longwood Fund, David Rawlings, Richard James, David Steinberg (CEO and co-founder), Aleks Radovic-Moreno, and Lea Hachigian. The company is based in Cambridge, Mass.

Total raised

$356M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Jan 2025