Carisma Therapeutics

Carisma Therapeutics Inc. operates as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, directing its efforts towards the development of immunotherapies for cancer and other significant diseases through its proprietary cell engineering platform. The company was established in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Pennsylvania. Its foundation is built upon the scientific work of its founders, Saar Gill, MD, PhD, and Michael Klichinsky, PharmD, PhD. Dr. Gill, a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, brings extensive expertise in hematology, oncology, and cell and gene therapy, having focused his research on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells. Dr. Klichinsky, who now serves as the Chief Scientific Officer, conducted his doctoral research in Dr. Gill's lab, where their collaborative work led to the pioneering development of CAR-macrophages (CAR-M).

The core of Carisma's strategy lies in harnessing the power of macrophages and monocytes, which are pivotal cells in the immune system's innate and adaptive responses. The company has engineered these cells to create chimeric antigen receptor macrophages (CAR-M) and, more recently, CAR-Monocytes. This approach is designed to overcome some of the limitations observed with other cell therapies, particularly in treating solid tumors. Macrophages have a natural ability to infiltrate tumors, and Carisma's technology enhances this by programming them to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Carisma's lead product candidate, CT-0508, is a CAR-Macrophage therapy targeting HER2-overexpressing solid tumors. This therapy has been evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial, which has shown that the treatment is feasible and well-tolerated, with evidence of the engineered cells trafficking to tumors and altering the tumor microenvironment. The company is also advancing a broader pipeline that includes CAR-Monocyte and CAR-NK programs, targeting both cancer and, potentially, fibrosis-related diseases. The business model centers on the research, clinical development, and eventual commercialization of these novel cell therapies. A key milestone in its corporate history was the reverse merger with Sesen Bio Inc. in March 2023, which resulted in Carisma becoming a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol "CARM".

Keywords: cell therapy, immunotherapy, oncology, CAR-Macrophage, solid tumors, biopharmaceutical, clinical-stage, gene therapy, HER2, NASDAQ:CARM