Sana Biotechnology

Sana Biotechnology is a publicly listed cell and gene therapy provider that offers treatments in the areas of oncology, diabetes, central nervous system, and hemoglobinopathies. The company trades under the ticker symbol “SANA” on the Nasdaq.

Sana’s therapeutics are derived from three main methodologies: Editing donor samples, stem cells, and fusogen (the fusing of cells). The company’s operations focus on three main areas: Cell repair, cell replacement, and developing technologies to make its product accessible to patients. Sana notes that its therapeutics currently in development take into account engraft issues, optimizing therapeutic delivery, function, developing the exact cells needed, and persist issues with regard to immune system rejections and cell death.

As of March 2024, the company's pipeline included seven ex-vivo cell engineering-based therapeutics, four based on T-cells, two based on islet cells, and one based on Glial progenitor cells. The company's T-cell candidates for oncology and autoimmune applications are in Phase 1 of clinical testing. Its other candidates are in investigative and preclinical stages.

Key customers and partnerships

In January 2023, the company signed a commercial supply agreement with pharmaceutical company Catalent to manufacture Sarepta’s gene therapeutic for the treatment of DMD; ‘delandistrogene moxeparvovec’ (SRP-9001). In August 2023, the company invested in LEXEO Therapeutics an undisclosed sum to support the advancement of its adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy programs for cardiovascular diseases.

Sana partnered with the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) in June 2022 to advance cell-based therapies in neurological disorders. Through the partnership, Sana built out its existing operations at URMC from previous collaborations. This included its cell manufacturing facility, which was then used to support the research and development of therapies for neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Beam Therapeutics and Sana signed an agreement in October 2021 to gain non-exclusive access to Beam’s gene-editing system, CRISPR-Cas12b. As per the agreement, Sana paid Beam USD 50 million for access, with the possibility of further payments based on development and sales milestones.

Sana also partnered with Fujifilm in March 2021 to sign a license agreement. Through the agreement, Sana was granted non-exclusive rights to Fujifilm’s Cellular Dynamics’ iPSC platform for the development of cell therapies.

Funding and financials

The company raised USD 700 million in June 2020 through an initial funding round. The company earmarked these funds to hire additional staff, support IND-enabling and initial clinical studies for multiple therapeutic candidates, expand its manufacturing capabilities, and diversify the company's portfolio of technologies.