On January 6, 2021 Bayer and Senti Biosciences, Inc., a leading gene circuit company, reported a USD 105 million Series B financing round (Press release, Bayer, JAN 6, 2021, View Source [SID1234573578]). The financing was led by Leaps by Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer AG. Additional investors included Matrix Partners China, Mirae Asset Capital, Ridgeback Capital and Intel Capital as well as existing investors, including New Enterprise Associates (NEA), 8VC, Amgen Ventures and Lux Capital.

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Senti Bio is at the forefront of using synthetic biology to engineer gene circuits that improve cell and gene therapy products. A gene circuit is an assembly of multi-component genetic constructs specifically designed to program cells to interact with the body’s complex environment using logic to perform desired therapeutic functions. Senti Bio uses these gene circuits to create "smarter" cell and gene therapies with enhanced therapeutic properties that aim to increase efficacy, precision and control.

Senti Bio is applying its gene circuit technology platform to develop an internal therapeutic pipeline of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cells. Senti Bio’s lead development candidates include next-generation allogeneic CAR-NK cell therapies: SENTI-202 for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), SENTI-301 for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and additional candidates for other undisclosed solid tumor targets.

"Leaps by Bayer’s mission is to invest in breakthrough technologies that may transform the lives of millions of patients for the better," said Juergen Eckhardt, MD, Head of Leaps by Bayer. "We believe that synthetic biology will become an important pillar in next-generation cell and gene therapy, and that Senti Bio’s leadership in designing and optimizing biological circuits fits precisely with our ambition to prevent and cure cancer and to regenerate lost tissue function."

In addition to potentially treating cancer with allogeneic CAR-NK cells, the Senti Bio gene circuit technology platform can be deployed into multiple other cell and gene therapy delivery modalities, across diverse therapeutic areas, such as immunology, neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, regenerative medicine and genetic diseases – with the potential to move from treatment to cure.

"We are grateful for the support of new and existing investors, including Leaps by Bayer, who believe in our mission of developing gene circuits to program smart cell and gene therapies to improve health outcomes for many people," said Tim Lu, MD, PhD, co-founder and chief executive officer of Senti Bio. "Over the past two years, our team has designed, built and tested thousands of sophisticated gene circuits to drive a robust product pipeline, focused initially on allogeneic CAR-NK cell therapies for difficult-to-treat liquid and solid tumor indications. I look forward to continued platform and pipeline advancements, including starting IND-enabling studies in 2021."

Proceeds from the Series B financing will support development of preclinical oncology programs and expansion of the Senti Bio gene circuit technology platform across additional delivery modalities and therapeutic areas. Senti Bio also plans to scale up clinical manufacturing, including process development and design of a cGMP-compliant manufacturing facility for off-the-shelf allogeneic CAR-NK cell product candidates.

The Series B syndicate included existing and new investors as follows: 8VC, Alexandria Ventures Investments, Amgen Ventures, Gaingels, Intel Capital, KB Investment, Leaps by Bayer, LifeForce Capital, LifeSci Venture Partners, Lux Capital, Matrix Partners China, Menlo Ventures, Mirae Asset Capital, NEA, Nest.Bio, Noveus Capital, Pear VC, Ridgeback Capital and Smilegate Investment.