Nick Leschly, the CEO who became synonymous with the curative promise and complicated reality of gene therapy, is back with a new company.
The startup, Altido Bio, is trying to commercialize a CAR-T cell therapy developed at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for glioblastoma, a nearly always fatal brain tumor. It recently closed a $12.5 million seed round led by ARCH Venture and is trying to raise a $75 million Series A.
Data from the CAR-T treatment are still early, but they’ve generated excitement given the disease’s grim prognosis. All of the first three patients in the trial saw their tumors immediately shrink significantly, and while two patients soon relapsed and ultimately died, one remains alive and well today, more than 2.5 years after treatment. Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…