Deciduous Therapeutics

Deciduous Therapeutics is a biotechnology firm focused on developing immunotherapies to combat age-related diseases. The company was established based on the scientific discoveries of Dr. Anil Bhushan, originating from his research at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Bhushan's work was among the first to demonstrate the role of clearing senescent cells—damaged cells that accumulate with age—in models of Type 1 diabetes. His research aims to understand how these cells contribute to aging, autoimmunity, and metabolic diseases. He identified that specific immune cells could selectively eliminate senescent pancreatic beta cells, halting the progression of Type 1 diabetes in mouse models. This foundational science led to the creation of Deciduous Therapeutics.

The company was co-founded by Robin Mansukhani, who serves as CEO, and Dr. Bhushan, the scientific founder. Mansukhani brings experience from the venture capital and investment banking sectors, as well as prior leadership at Alzeca Biosciences, a company focused on diagnostic imaging for CNS disorders. Deciduous Therapeutics was incorporated in 2018 and has since attracted funding from several institutional investors, including Y Combinator, The Longevity Fund, and LifeSpan Vision Ventures. The company has received notable recognition, including a Golden Ticket award from Bakar Labs in 2021, which provided a year of free lab space and facilities at UC Berkeley's bioscience incubator.

The core of Deciduous Therapeutics' business is the development of novel molecules that activate the body's own immune system to remove senescent cells. These cells are a driving force behind numerous age-related conditions because they create an inflammatory environment and promote tissue damage. The company's therapeutic approach centers on harnessing Natural Killer T-cells (NKTs), a type of immune cell, to perform this clearing function, a process termed immune-mediated senolysis. Their lead compound has shown efficacy in a single dose in pre-clinical studies, successfully restoring NKT function, eliminating senescent cells, and resolving both fibrotic and metabolic disease models. The business model involves translating this scientific discovery into clinical applications, with an initial focus on fibrotic and metabolic diseases, while expanding its platform to address other age-related conditions. By activating a natural surveillance mechanism, the company aims to offer treatments that improve healthspan.

Keywords: senolytics, immunotherapy, age-related diseases, cellular senescence, immune surveillance, Natural Killer T-cells, NKT agonist, fibrotic diseases, metabolic diseases, longevity biotechnology, Anil Bhushan, Robin Mansukhani, UCSF spin-off, senescent cells, immune-mediated senolysis, aging biology, drug discovery, venture-backed biotech, San Francisco biotech