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AvenCell Therapeutics
AvenCell Therapeutics makes CAR-T cell therapies that can be switched on and off after they are given, including ready-made versions from donor cells. It is testing them in acute myeloid leukaemia and in B-cell lymphomas.
Overview
AvenCell Therapeutics, Inc. was launched in June 2021 with a $250 million commitment from Blackstone Life Sciences as sole founding investor, combining the switchable universal CAR-T technology of GEMoaB GmbH (now AvenCell Europe GmbH, Dresden) with a licence to Intellia's CRISPR/Cas9 allogeneic platform. It is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts. Its switchable RevCAR receptors are directed by separately dosed bridging proteins, so CAR-T activity can be turned off and on after infusion. AVC-101 (autologous) and AVC-201 (CRISPR-engineered allogeneic) target CD123 in relapsed or refractory AML. AVC-203 (Allo-QuadCAR01-T) is a CRISPR-engineered allogeneic CD19/CD20 dual-targeting switchable CAR-T; the first patient in its QUADvance study was dosed in April 2026, supported by a grant of up to $40 million from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development. The company raised a $112 million Series B led by Novo Holdings in October 2024. Its first trial registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under its own name, NCT07284433, the phase 1/2 QUADvance study of Allo-QuadCAR01-T in relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies, was posted in December 2025.
Headquarters
Watertown, MA, US
Funding
All startupsGrowth stage
Investors
Rounds on record
| Round | Year | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant · Up to $40 million grant from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), announced 30 June 2025. | 2025 | $40M | avencell.com |
| Series B · Led by Novo Holdings with F-Prime Capital, Eight Roads Ventures Japan, Piper Heartland Healthcare Capital and NYBC Ventures, alongside Blackstone Life Sciences. | 2024 | $112M | avencell.com |
| Founding commitment · Committed by funds managed by Blackstone Life Sciences as sole founding investor. | 2021 | $250M | avencell.com |
Amounts only where the cited source states them. Rounds without a public source are not listed.
Type
Stage
Growth stage
Website
Notes
- The 2021 launch release said the company would be headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts; its current website gives Watertown, Massachusetts.
- Earlier AVC-101 and AVC-201 trials in AML are not found under AvenCell's name on ClinicalTrials.gov in this scan; the December 2025 date is the first registry posting under the AvenCell sponsor name, not the company's first time in the clinic.
- Founding year: the company launched in June 2021; no separate founding year is stated.
- Company website and press releases read on 29 October 2026.
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