Cellino Biotech Secures ARPA-H Funding to Advance Scalable Biomanufacturing Technology for Regenerative Medicine
Cellino Biotech, Inc. has been awarded up to $25 million by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to develop a cutting-edge biomanufacturing technology aimed at personalizing regenerative medicines. The initiative, called NEBULA (NExt-generation Biomanufacturing ULtra-scalable Approach), marks the first project funded under ARPA-H’s Scalable Solutions Mission Office.
The NEBULA project is focused on building an ultra-scalable, cassette-based system designed to automate and expand the production of personalized regenerative cells—specifically induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This platform will enable hospitals across the United States to produce tailored cell therapies for a wide range of chronic conditions. By personalizing cells and tissues to the patient, NEBULA’s approach reduces the risk of immune rejection, eliminating the need for donor matching and advancing health equity.
Cellino’s advanced technology could accelerate the development of therapies for diseases such as Parkinson’s, heart disease, spinal cord injury, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetes, which affect over 50 million Americans. The technology is designed to support the approval and widespread deployment of these regenerative therapies by making production more efficient and scalable.
According to Nabiha Saklayen, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder of Cellino Biotech, the ARPA-H funding will help speed up the company’s progress in developing AI-driven biomanufacturing technology. “We are actively building the industry-leading technology to personalize cells, tissues, and organs for all, revolutionizing the treatment landscape for humanity’s most burdensome diseases,” Saklayen said.
The NEBULA platform will use an AI-guided, laser-based cell management system to automate processes that are typically manual and labor-intensive. This optical bioprocess is expected to drive down the costs associated with personalized regenerative medicine, thanks to the use of patient-specific closed cassettes. By reducing variability and improving consistency, the technology aims to make cell therapies more accessible and affordable for a broader patient population.
Matthias Wagner, Ph.D., CTO and Co-Founder of Cellino, emphasized the significance of the project. “Our approach is poised to significantly advance the scalability of high-precision biomanufacturing and make ‘Your cells, your cure’ a reality for millions of patients,” Wagner stated.
The partnership with ARPA-H reflects a broader effort to advance biomanufacturing technologies that can keep pace with innovations in regenerative medicine, as well as improve affordability and access to these novel therapies. Jason Roos, Ph.D., Director of ARPA-H’s Scalable Solutions Mission Office, stressed the importance of enhancing supply chain logistics and biomanufacturing alongside the development of cutting-edge therapeutics.
Cellino Biotech, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on advancing personalized regenerative medicine through its proprietary AI-driven biomanufacturing technology. By integrating innovations in physics, cell therapy, and artificial intelligence, Cellino aims to automate and scale the production of personalized cells and tissues, offering potential curative treatments for a range of chronic diseases. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company is pioneering an optical, laser-based cell management process to reduce the cost and complexity of producing patient-specific regenerative therapies.
Topics: Manufacturing & Pharma 4.0
