Adds proprietary CAR sequence IP to Liberate’s selective in vivo delivery platform, strengthening the foundation of its emerging CAR-M therapeutic class

Liberate Bio, Inc., a biotechnology company developing genetic medicines that deliver RNA therapies directly to immune cells, announces that it has secured exclusive and non-exclusive licenses to key patents covering chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) designs optimized for myeloid cells, including monocytes and macrophages.

The licensed intellectual property, originating from Carisma Therapeutics and the University of Pennsylvania, includes methods and designs for CAR constructs specifically engineered for function within myeloid cell populations. These designs complement Liberate’s proprietary lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery platform, which selectively programs monocytes and macrophages in vivo.

With both optimized CAR-sequence IP and cell-selective delivery technology, Liberate Bio now integrates the critical components needed to advance in vivo CAR-M therapies toward clinical evaluation.

“This licensing agreement meaningfully strengthens our clinical programs,” said Walter R. Strapps, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Liberate Bio. “Myeloid cells have unique biology distinct from T cells, and CAR constructs optimized for their activation and persistence are essential. By combining validated methods for CAR designs with our myeloid-selective LNP platform, we are building a differentiated and highly integrated approach to in vivo cell therapy.”

Liberate’s proprietary RAPTOR™ platform directly screens lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in non-human primates to identify delivery vehicles that target extrahepatic immune cells. As previously reported, Liberate’s lead LNP achieved greater than 99% depletion of circulating B cells in non-human primates through selective programming of monocytes and macrophages

“In vivo CAR-M represents a new chapter in immune reprogramming,” said Shawn P. Davis, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Liberate Bio. “By uniting best-in-class delivery with optimized myeloid CAR designs, we are establishing a durable foundation for a scalable and potentially safer alternative to CAR-T — one capable of reaching broader patient populations across autoimmune and oncology indications.”

Liberate Bio plans to advance its first in vivo CAR-M candidate toward IND-enabling studies, with the goal of supporting the first clinical evaluation in the second half of 2026 through an investigator-initiated trial.

About Liberate Bio

Liberate Bio is building the next generation of genetic medicines by solving the most fundamental challenge in the field: delivery beyond the liver. The company’s proprietary RAPTOR™ platform combines high-throughput in vivo screening in non-human primates with AI-driven design and optimization, creating the first biological dataset powerful enough to train artificial intelligence on real delivery outcomes.

Using this feedback loop, Liberate Bio has engineered lipid nanoparticles that target specific immune and bone marrow–resident cell types, including monocytes, macrophages, and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). This approach enables the programmable delivery of mRNA, gene editing, and other payloads directly to the cells that drive disease — unlocking the potential to treat oncology, autoimmune, and rare genetic disorders from within the body.

Liberate Bio’s first programs focus on in vivo CAR-M therapies to reprogram immune cells safely and at scale. Longer term, the company’s platform provides a foundation for a new class of AI-informed, systemically delivered genetic medicines that extend to multiple organs and therapeutic areas.

For more information about the company’s technologies, team, and mission, visit www.liberatebio.com

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"This licensing agreement meaningfully strengthens our clinical programs."