CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Satellite Bio emerged from stealth today to reveal first-in-kind Tissue Therapeutics, bioengineered tissues that repair, restore or replace critical organ or tissue function.
Satellite Bio has raised $110 million in previously undisclosed Seed and Series A investments. The Series A round was led by aMoon Growth, and included prior seed stage co-lead Lightspeed, aMoon Velocity, Polaris Partners and Polaris Innovation Fund. New Series A investors included Section 32, Catalio Capital Management and Waterman Ventures.
Through the exclusive Satellite Adaptive Tissue (SAT) platform, Satellite Bio selectively programs cells and then assembles them into novel, implantable therapies, called Satellites, which can be introduced to patients to repair, restore or even replace dysfunctional or diseased tissue or organs. Satellites enable full cell function in vivo, overcoming many of the challenges that have hindered prior attempts to restore organ function and change the course of progressive and difficult-to-treat diseases.
“Tissue Therapeutics replaces organ and tissue systems that break down during disease progression. This next frontier of regenerative medicine has enormous potential to provide solutions for some of the most elusive diseases,” said Dave Lennon, PhD, chief executive officer of Satellite Bio. “Our SAT platform can be used with virtually any type of cell across a wide range of clinical applications, enabling the potential to create a broad pipeline of implantable Tissue Therapeutic solutions for patients.”
Satellite Bio has an exclusive license to technology originating in the labs of Sangeeta Bhatia, MD, PhD, director, Center for Nanomedicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Christopher Chen, MD, PhD, director, Biological Design Center, Boston University. Building on the work of Dr. Robert Langer and others, they combined more than two decades of collaborative research in tissue technology, biology and bioengineering to create this new class of regenerative medicine called Tissue Therapeutics. The company was founded by Bhatia and Chen, along with Arnav Chhabra, PhD, head, Satellite Bio Platform R&D in Cambridge, MA, in 2020.
Satellite Bio is led by Dave Lennon, PhD, CEO, who most recently served as president of AveXis and Novartis Gene Therapies, where he launched the groundbreaking regenerative medicine Zolgensma®, a gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy. Satellite Bio is also announcing the appointments of Laura Lande-Diner, PhD, chief business officer and Tom Lowery, PhD, chief technology officer to the executive team. Joining Dave and the Satellite Bio team is an experienced and diverse group of advisors and directors.
"aMoon is proud of our continued partnership with Satellite Bio on its inspiring mission to restore hope to patients suffering from severe, life-threatening conditions,” said Dr. Yair Schindel, co-founder and managing partner, aMoon Fund. “This new wave of Tissue Therapeutics will save patients whose only other hope would be organ transplant or experimental therapies.”
About Tissue Therapeutics
Tissue Therapeutics is a new type of regenerative medicine that programs cells and assembles them into “Satellites.” They can be implanted into patients to restore, repair or replace dysfunctional or diseased tissue or organs away from the affected organ. These Satellites provide the full repertoire of cell function in vivo and provide an entirely new way to restore organ dysfunction and change the course of elusive, life-threatening diseases.
About Our Leadership
Satellite Bio is led by Dave Lennon, PhD, who most recently served as president of AveXis and Novartis Gene Therapies, Lennon also serves as a board member for the Alliance of Regenerative Medicine (ARM). He is joined on the Satellite Bio board and management by a diverse group of experienced investors and leaders, including Chief Business Officer Laura Lande-Diner, PhD, and Chief Technology Officer Tom Lowery, PhD. Lande-Diner, a scientist, innovator and life sciences entrepreneur, brings deep expertise in company creation and early operationalization across technologies and therapeutic areas. Prior to joining Satellite Bio, she was part of the Flagship Pioneering ecosystem where she was on the founding teams of Valo Health, Omega Therapeutics, Inari Agriculture and Epiva/Evelo Biosciences. Lowery brings 15 years of deep experience in product, process and analytical development and engineering, as well as building highly productive technical and operational teams. He was previously chief scientific officer of T2 Biosystems, where he led technology development from inception through regulatory approval and commercialization for seven products.
About Satellite Bio
Satellite Bio is on a journey to treat some of the most elusive diseases known to humankind by pioneering Tissue Therapeutics, an entirely new category of regenerative medicine.
With the first-of-its-kind SAT (Satellite Adaptive Tissues) platform, Satellite Bio can turn virtually any cell type into bioengineered tissues that are integrated into the body to restore natural function. These tissues, called Satellites, can deliver the comprehensive cellular response needed to repair or even replace critical organ functions in patients with diseases caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The SAT platform is an unprecedented technology with the potential to drive a pipeline of sophisticated cell-based therapeutic solutions that tackle a broad range of elusive diseases.
Satellite Bio’s quest is as audacious as it is clear: bring new hope to patients and families suffering from elusive diseases. Tissue Therapeutics is how it will deliver on that promise—and why it is deeply committed to leading and realizing the potential of this exciting new frontier in regenerative medicine. For more information, visit satellite.bio.
