Over the years, members of The Incubator have contributed to the generation of real companies and licensed biotech.
2022-2023
Viral gene therapy beyond AAV
Carbon Biosciences is extending the reach of genetic medicines for the treatment of devastating diseases. The company combines the genetic diversity and potency of viruses that have evolved over millions of years with the recent clinical and manufacturing advances in the gene therapy field. The proprietary CBN vector library has the potential advantages of exquisite tissue specificity, larger payloads and durable treatment strategies across multiple modalities.
2021-2022
Lipid-based platform to improve uptake and biodistribution of biologics
Transcera is a venture-backed startup seeking to unlock the potential of biologic medicines. The company was co-founded by Harvard MBA Hunter Goble, Harvard Professor Wayne Lencer, and peptide expert/MIT alum Justin Wolfe. Building on discoveries from Dr. Lencer’s lab, Transcera’s lipid-based platform co-opts a natural process of cellular transport to get biologics across epithelial/endothelial membranes. By enabling molecules to cross such barriers, Transcera’s technology substantially increases therapeutic uptake and biodistribution. Transcera is currently planning on combining their lipid-based platform with peptide, protein, and oligonucleotide therapies to develop biologic medicines for a range of diseases.
2021-2022
De novo protein design platform
AI Proteins reimagines the possibilities of protein therapeutics by rationally designing de novo proteins with therapeutic activities using a proprietary platform. AI Proteins was founded by Dr. Chris Bahl, the former head of Protein Design at Institute for Protein Innovation.
2020-2021
Nucleic acid detection platform
Nab Biosciences is developing a rapid, amplification-free nucleic acid detection platform for human health and environmental wellness. The company was founded by BU Ph.D. Milad Babaei.
2019-2020
Targeting the biological basis of metabo-psychiatric disorders
Courage Therapeutics is a pre-clinical stage company developing therapies for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Courage is focused on targeting a receptor and associated pathways in the brain that affects the physiology and psychology of eating. This receptor and its associated pathways also have potential to improve outcomes in cancer-induced cachexia, obesity, animal health, and other indications. Courage was co-founded by Dr. Roger Cone (Scientific Advisor) and Dan Housman (CEO) to develop bioactive molecules targeting these pathways discovered in Dr. Cone’s laboratory at the University of Michigan.
2018-2019
RNA-directed drug discovery platform
NextRNA Therapeutics (previously SeoRx) is a preclinical stage company developing dual-platform technologies for RNA-directed drug discovery. NextRNA Therapeutics discovers druggable RNA-protein complexes and develops oligonucleotide or small molecule inhibitors of these complexes. The company’s system is robust, rapid, inexpensive and high-throughput. The company plans programs on cancer and proliferative diseases, immunotherapy, and neurodegenerative diseases. NextRNA Therapeutics is looking to expand its portfolio in partnership with pharmaceutical companies interested in exploiting these technology platforms to identify therapies that address unmet medical needs.
2017-2018
CAR-T for solid tumors
Dynamic Cell Therapies (previously Raqia) is a newly formed company focused on harnessing the immune system to target solid tumors with engineered CAR-T cells, a therapy currently used for the treatment of liquid cancers. Dynamic Cell Therapies’s CAR-T’s target cell surface proteins highly expressed on tumor cells, tagging them for destruction with unparalleled specificity and minimal off-target effects. The modular nature of the company’s platform technology has the potential to treat a wide-range of solid tumor cancers. Dynamic Cell Therapies is currently in talks with early investors and is continuing to develop its technology from the preclinical stage into clinical trials. The company will focus its efforts on product candidates that will provide oncologists with novel immunotherapies to treat patients where the current standard of care is ineffective. With a thorough analysis of the market, regulatory strategy, competition, and intellectual property, Dynamic Cell Therapies will consider expanding its portfolio with the end goal of having commercially-available and clinically-meaningful tools to address unmet medical needs in solid tumor cancers.
2016-2017
Epigenetic engineering platform
The Incubator focused on a platform technology for reprogramming the body’s own pre-existing genome to permanently correct aberrant gene expression that leads to abnormal function and disease. Using epigenetic engineering, the scientists at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Dr. Carl Novina’s lab designed a split enzyme methylase system (“SEME”) that can be used both ex-vivo and with systemic administration to alter the expression of genes that can cause a wide range of diseases from blood disorders to cancer. Working with this epigenetic reprogramming platform technology developed in Dr. Novina's laboratory, Incubator members performed due diligence on genetic targets and indications and presented their findings. Product profile sheets were produced for the leading indications and a business plan was completed for this novel first-in-class epigenetic engineering platform. The work of Incubator members helped contribute to the technology eventually being optioned to Flagship Pioneering.
2014-2015
Engineering the gut microbiome
SanaRx Biotherapeutics is a newly formed company that is engineering a natural strain of bacteria to detect and treat diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. SanaRx is modifying bacterial membranes with specific proteins that bind specifically to diseased tissues and carry a wide range of payloads for detection (such as light-emitting molecules) and treatment (such as chemotherapeutic compounds). SanaRx was select to participate in the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab.