STRM.BIO Awarded ARPA-H Contract to Advance Megakaryocyte-Derived Vesicle Platform for In Vivo Cell Engineering and Gene Therapy

Rhea-AI Summary

STRM.BIO (DNA) was awarded an ARPA-H EMBODY contract on Dec 3, 2025 with up to $8.4 million to support a first-phase program advancing its proprietary megakaryocyte-derived extracellular vesicle (MV) delivery platform for in vivo cell and gene therapy.

STRM.BIO will act as prime, partnering with Ginkgo (DNA), the University of British Columbia, and Advanced Bioprocess Services to develop bone marrow-targeted in vivo CAR-T therapeutics using MV delivery and self-amplifying RNA expertise.

Positive

• ARPA-H award up to $8.4 million
• STRM.BIO named prime awardee leading the project
• Collaboration includes Ginkgo (DNA), UBC, and ABS
• Program targets bone marrow in vivo delivery for CAR-T

Negative

• Funding covers only the first phase of the project

Insights

Lead biotech development analyst

ARPA-H awards STRM.BIO up to $8.4 million to advance a megakaryocyte‑derived vesicle delivery platform for in vivo CAR‑T and gene therapy.

STRM.BIO

Key dependencies include successful demonstration of targeted bone marrow delivery, scalable vesicle production, and effective saRNA or RNA construct design. Risks are technical: delivery specificity, payload stability, and manufacturing scale; program success depends on partner execution and milestone outcomes within the funded phase.

Watch for concrete milestones and deliverables during the funded phase, progress on bone marrow targeting, and any ARPA‑H milestone dates in the next 12–24 months. Observing demonstrations of in vivo CAR‑T engineering or scalable MV manufacturing would materially de‑risk the approach.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- STRM.BIO, a start-up biotechnology company pioneering non-viral delivery technologies for in vivo cell and gene therapy, today announced that it has been awarded a contract from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) through its Engineering of Immune Cells Inside the Body (EMBODY) program. EMBODY is led by ARPA-H Program Manager Daria Fedyukina, Ph.D. The award includes up to $8.4 million in funding to support the first phase of this project, focused on developing and leveraging STRM's proprietary megakaryocyte-derived extracellular vesicle (MV) delivery platform for in vivo immune cell engineering.

STRM.BIO's MV platform represents a novel, cell-derived delivery modality with the potential to overcome many of the key barriers limiting current viral and synthetic in vivo delivery systems.

"This award marks an important milestone for STRM.BIO in our mission to unlock the potential of extracellular vesicles for in vivo cell and gene therapy," said Michael Luther, Ph.D., CEO of STRM.BIO. "Funding from ARPA-H provides us an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate the development of our MV platform and genetic medicines pipeline to enable precise, efficient, and safe delivery for complex genetic cargos directly to the bone marrow in vivo, with multiple dosing potential when needed."

STRM.BIO will act as lead for the project, bringing their novel MV platform and expertise in bone marrow-targeted in vivo delivery. As the Prime Awardee, STRM will collaborate with Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), the University of British Columbia (UBC), and Advanced Bioprocess Services (ABS) to develop in vivo CAR-T therapeutics. The partnership will leverage Ginkgo's expertise in RNA construct design and immune cell engineering, UBC's expertise in the design and biology of self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), and ABS's expertise in vesicle production and bioprocessing to advance the novel in vivo immune cell engineering approach.

"This funding from ARPA-H is transformative for high-impact projects like this," said David Raiser, Ph.D., COO of STRM.BIO. "We're fortunate to be able work with partners who share our vision and drive for a new generation of in vivo cell and gene therapies enabled by innovative, non-viral delivery technologies."

CEO Mike Luther further added, "The insights gained from this effort will expand the potential of our MV platform, opening new pipeline opportunities for in vivo engineering of immune and hematopoietic cells to address unmet medical needs, and advance the broader field of cell and gene therapy."

About STRM.BIO

STRM.BIO is a biotechnology company developing a novel, non-viral, cell-derived delivery modality that enables safe, targeted, and scalable in vivo delivery of genetic medicines. The company's megakaryocyte-derived vesicle (MV) technology is designed to address the challenges of traditional viral and synthetic delivery systems, unlocking new therapeutic opportunities across gene editing, RNA therapeutics, and immune cell engineering. STRM.BIO is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Learn more at www.strm.bio.

This research was funded, in part, by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government. 

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SOURCE STRM.BIO

FAQ

What did STRM.BIO announce on December 3, 2025 regarding ARPA-H funding for DNA?

STRM.BIO announced an ARPA-H EMBODY contract awarding up to $8.4 million to fund the first phase of its MV delivery platform program.

How will the ARPA-H award affect STRM.BIO's collaboration with Ginkgo (DNA)?

STRM.BIO will lead the program as prime awardee and collaborate with Ginkgo (DNA) on RNA construct design and immune cell engineering.

What is the focus of the STRM.BIO ARPA-H project for DNA and partners?

The project focuses on developing MV-based bone marrow-targeted in vivo CAR-T therapeutics and non-viral delivery of genetic cargos.

Who are STRM.BIO's disclosed partners on the ARPA-H EMBODY award with DNA?

Partners include Ginkgo (DNA), the University of British Columbia, and Advanced Bioprocess Services.

What does 'first phase' funding mean for STRM.BIO's program timeline and scope?

The award funds the first phase of development for the MV platform; additional phases or funding are not specified.

Will the STRM.BIO MV platform support multiple dosing according to the announcement?

Yes; the company said the MV platform aims to enable precise, efficient, and safe delivery with multiple dosing potential to bone marrow in vivo.