Led · Grant · Dec 2019

PlateletBio is a Massachusetts-based preclinical-stage biotech pioneering allogeneic cell therapies grounded in platelet biology. Its core product is platelet-like cells (PLCs) produced using a proprietary biomimetic bioreactor-on-a-chip and engineered into therapeutic ePLC candidates. The company has established in-house cGMP manufacturing capabilities to support development and future commercialization. PlateletBio is advancing a diverse pipeline targeting hematology, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases, with a lead PLC program for Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP). The company plans to further develop its ePLC platform and proprietary manufacturing to expand therapeutic applications. Financially, PlateletBio recently closed a $20 million senior secured term loan to support working capital and advance its lead PLC program. Platelet BioGenesis (PBG) has created a platform to generate human platelets at scale, producing stem cell–derived, donor-independent PLTs+ and pursuing genetically engineered platelet-based therapeutics for cancer and other diseases. The company’s platform is patented and cGMP-compliant and was spun out of Harvard University. PBG announced plans to enter IND-enabling studies of its donor-independent platelets in 2020. The company has received venture funding from Qiming Venture Partners USA, Ziff Capital Partners and other investors, and grant funding from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the NIH and the U.S. Department of Defense. PBG recently added Uma Lakshmipathy, Ph.D. and Teresa Foy, Ph.D. to its Scientific Advisory Board to support R&D and translational efforts. The firm is based in Cambridge, Mass. Platelet BioGenesis (PBG) has built a platform to generate human platelets at scale from stem cells, positioning itself as a donor-independent source to address global platelet shortages. The company is advancing platelet-based therapeutics as a new treatment modality for cancer and other serious diseases and plans to design and launch its first clinical trial using stem cell-derived platelets. PBG’s platform is patented and cGMP-compliant; the company was spun out of Harvard and has received grants from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the NIH, and the U.S. Department of Defense. PBG will use new funding to accelerate development of donor-independent platelet manufacturing capabilities and to advance proof-of-concept work around platelet-based therapeutics. The company plans to double headcount to approximately 50 employees in 2020 and is expanding operations into a new 18,000-square-foot headquarters in Watertown, Mass. Platelet BioGenesis is a Boston, MA-based biotech developing a process to produce human platelets from stem cells for therapeutic applications. The company has developed and patented a microfluidic bioreactor and has shown that functional platelets can be generated from human stem cell cultures at scale. It is a pre-clinical stage company spun out of academic labs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard. Leadership includes Co-Founder and incoming CEO Dr. Jonathan Thon and Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer Sven Karlsson. Platelets are critical first-line treatments for cancer patients and surgical care, underpinning the company’s therapeutic focus. The company has received support and recognition from programs including MassCONNECT, was a 2014 MassChallenge Finalist, and has funding support from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and the NIH.