On September 10, 2024, Cellino Biotech, Inc. announced that the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded it up to $25 million in funding to develop an ultra-scalable, autonomous, cassette-based advanced biomanufacturing technology for personalized regenerative medicines. Cellino’s NEBULA (NExt-generation Biomanufacturing ULtra-scalable Approach) project is the first project funded by the Scalable Solutions Mission Office under the ARPA-H Open Broad Agency Announcement.

With ARPA-H’s support, Cellino will build a cassette-based biomanufacturing technology capable of scaling the production of personalized regenerative cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) at hospitals nationwide to develop curative medicines for a range of chronic conditions for an increasingly diverse and aging U.S. patient population.

Cellino’s proprietary biomanufacturing technology automates traditionally manual, artisanal processes using an AI-guided, laser-based cell management process to reduce variability and increase the consistency of biomanufactured cell and tissue products. Cellino’s proprietary optical bioprocess will drive a meaningful cost reduction for personalized regenerative medicine biomanufacturing using patient-specific closed cassettes. This effort aligns with ARPA-H’s mission to improve health outcomes for everyone.

Cellino has been a Wilson Sonsini client since 2020, and Wilson Sonsini partner Jen Fang has been advising Cellino on the award and other related matters. For more information on the ARPA-H award, please see Cellino’s news release.