Abata Therapeutics, a US-based cell therapy developer focused on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, has launched with $95m in series A financing from investors including gene and cell therapy developer ElevateBio.

The round was led by healthcare-focused venture capital firm Third Rock Ventures and also featured Lightspeed Venture Partners, Invus, Samsara BioCapital and JDRF T1D Fund. It followed an undisclosed amount of seed capital supplied by Third Rock and ElevateBio at an unspecified date.

Founded in 2018, Abata is working on translating the biology of regulatory T (Treg) cells into treatments for patients living with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its lead asset is aimed at progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

The company is also working on programmes aimed at type 1 diabetes and inclusion body myositis, a progressive muscle disorder for which no approved therapies currently exist. It has a collaboration agreement with ElevateBio to leverage the latter’s research and development and manufacturing centre.

Abbie Celniker, executive chairman of Abata, and partner at Third Rock Ventures, said: “Abata is the culmination of a three-plus-year effort by the company’s scientific founders and the team at Third Rock Ventures to interrogate the potential for a Treg cell therapy.

“Identifying our first programmes meant fully understanding where disease pathology and Treg biology intersect to make the biggest impact for patients, and the first clear answer is progressive MS.

“We look forward to the future as the company moves quickly to advance its MS programme into the clinic and expand upon the potential of Treg biology in inclusion body myositis, type 1 diabetes and beyond.”

Abata Therapeutics, a US-based cell therapy developer focused on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, has launched with $95m in series A financing led by Third Rock Ventures to advance research from multiple institutions.
Gene and cell therapy developer ElevateBio, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Invus, Samsara BioCapital and the JDRF T1D Fund participated in the round, which followed an undisclosed amount of seed capital supplied by Third Rock and ElevateBio at an unspecified date.
Abata Therapeutics is working on translating the biology of regulatory T (Treg) cells into treatments for patients living with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its lead asset is aimed at progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).
The company is also working on programmes aimed at type 1 diabetes and a progressive muscle disorder called inclusion body myositis for which no therapies currently exist.
Abata has entered into a collaboration agreement with ElevateBio to leverage the latter’s R&D and manufacturing centre.
Abata’s scientific co-founders include Diane Mathis, the Morton Grove-Rasmussen professor of immunohematology at Harvard Medical School, Michael Birnbaum, assistant professor of biological engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Roland Martin, professor of neurology and neuroimmunology at University Hospital Zürich.
Richard Ransohoff, venture partner at Third Rock Ventures and collaborating scientist in the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School, adjunct professor of pathology, genetics and genome sciences at Case Western Reserve University and adjunct professor of molecular medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine is also a co-founder.
Daniel Reich, senior investigator at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at National Institutes of Health and adjunct professor of radiology, neurology and biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University, fills out the lineup.
Abbie Celniker, executive chairman of Abata’s board of directors and partner at Third Rock Ventures, said: “Abata is the culmination of a three-plus-year effort by the company’s scientific founders and the team at Third Rock Ventures to interrogate the potential for a Treg cell therapy.
“Identifying our first programmes meant fully understanding where disease pathology and Treg biology intersect to make the biggest impact for patients, and the first clear answer is progressive MS.
“We look forward to the future as the company moves quickly to advance its MS programme into the clinic and expand upon the potential of Treg biology in inclusion body myositis, type 1 diabetes and beyond.”