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§ Private Profile · San Diego, CA, USA
Biotechnology company develops tLNPs for autoimmune, oncology, and fibrosis, focused on in vivo cell reprogramming.
Capstan Therapeutics is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based biotechnology company developing targeted lipid nanoparticles to enable the in vivo reprogramming of cells for treating autoimmune disorders, oncology, and fibrosis. The company's platform combines messenger RNA technology with cell therapy expertise to generate CAR T cells directly within the body, eliminating the need for ex vivo cell extraction. Prior to its acquisition, the enterprise raised $165 million across seed and Series A financing rounds from prominent corporate venture arms including Pfizer Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, and Eli Lilly. In June 2025, pharmaceutical corporation AbbVie acquired the business in a definitive transaction valued at up to $2.1 billion. The University of Pennsylvania spinout was founded in 2021 by Carl June, Drew Weissman, Bruce Levine, Hamideh Parhiz, Steven Albelda, Ellen Pure, Jon Epstein, and Haig Aghajanian.
Capstan Therapeutics has raised $280.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Capstan Therapeutics has raised $280.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Capstan Therapeutics has raised $280.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $180.0M Series B in March 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2024 | $180M Series B | Nandita Shangari | AmorChem, Andera Partners, Earlybird Venture Capital, Forbion, Kurma Partners, ED Mathers, Pfizer Venture Investments, Pureos Bioventures, Wellington Partners, Vincent Brichard, Olivier Pomel, Xavier Niel, Alexandria Venture Investments, Bristol Myers Squibb, ELI Lilly And Company, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Leaps BY Bayer, Mubadala Capital, Novartis, OrbiMed, Perceptive Advisors, Polaris Partners, Sofinnova Investments, Vida Ventures | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2022 | $100M Series A | — | Andera Partners, Earlybird Venture Capital, Kurma Partners, Pfizer Venture Investments, Pureos Bioventures, Wellington Partners, Vincent Brichard, Alexandria Venture Investments, Bristol Myers Squibb, ELI Lilly And Company, Leaps BY Bayer, Polaris Partners | Announced |
Capstan Therapeutics has raised $280.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Capstan Therapeutics's investors include Nandita Shangari, Amorchem, Andera Partners, Earlybird Venture Capital, Forbion, Kurma Partners, Ed Mathers, Pfizer Venture Investments, Pureos Bioventures, Wellington Partners, Vincent Brichard, Olivier Pomel.
Capstan Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that developed targeted in vivo RNA technologies, specifically proprietary targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNPs), to enable precision cell engineering for treating diseases like oncology, autoimmune disorders, fibrosis, and monogenic blood disorders.[1][2] It served patients with unmet clinical needs by delivering RNA payloads, such as mRNA or gene editing tools, directly to specific cell types in the body, combining cell therapy potency with genetic medicine precision—exemplified by its lead asset CPTX2309, an anti-CD19 CAR-T candidate for B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.[3][4] Founded in 2021, Capstan raised $300M total, including a Series B, grew to 99 employees, and achieved explosive growth momentum through a $2.1B acquisition by AbbVie in 2025, marking a pinnacle in its short trajectory.[1][3]
Capstan Therapeutics was co-founded in 2021 as a Penn Medicine spinout by a powerhouse team of immunotherapy pioneers: Carl June, MD (Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy), Bruce Levine, PhD (Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy), Drew Weissman, MD, PhD (Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research and Nobel laureate for mRNA tech), Hamideh Parhiz, PharmD, PhD (Assistant Professor of Systems Pharmacology), Steven Albelda, MD (Professor of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care), Ellen Puré, PhD (Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Penn Vet), Jonathan Epstein, MD (Dean of Perelman School of Medicine), and Haig Aghajanian, PhD (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine).[3] The idea emerged from their expertise in cell and gene therapies, aiming to overcome ex vivo limitations by enabling in vivo reprogramming via tLNPs conjugated with protein binders like monoclonal antibodies.[2] Early traction came fast: launching in 2022 with $165M in funding from pharma VCs and firms like Forbion, advancing CPTX2309 toward Phase 1, and navigating challenges to a blockbuster AbbVie acquisition.[2][5][6]
Capstan rode the in vivo cell therapy wave, shifting from labor-intensive ex vivo CAR-T (e.g., extracting, editing, reinfusing cells) to direct, targeted in-body reprogramming—a trend exploding post-mRNA vaccine success and autoimmune therapy demand.[2][3][5] Timing was ideal amid 2020s biotech M&A surge, with AbbVie's $2.1B deal (including lead asset and platform) signaling Big Pharma's hunger for next-gen modalities amid patent cliffs and immunology booms.[3][4][5] Market forces like rising autoimmune prevalence, gene editing advances (CRISPR/mRNA), and off-the-shelf therapy needs favored Capstan, influencing the ecosystem by validating tLNPs—accelerating competitors, de-risking investments, and integrating into AbbVie's pipeline to speed patient access.[4][6]
Now fully integrated into AbbVie, Capstan's tLNP platform and CPTX2309 will accelerate toward commercialization, likely prioritizing Phase 1 data in autoimmune diseases while expanding to oncology and fibrosis.[3][4][6] Trends like AI-optimized nanoparticles, combo therapies, and global autoimmune epidemics will propel it, potentially evolving AbbVie's dominance in immunology with first-in-class in vivo CAR-T. This acquisition cements Capstan's legacy: from Penn spinout to biotech unicorn slayer, proving precision RNA delivery can redefine therapies at scale.[3][4]