Tessera Therapeutics

What Tessera Therapeutics does

Tessera Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2018 by Flagship Pioneering and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts. The company is developing Gene Writing™, a proprietary genome engineering platform built on Target-Primed Reverse Transcription (TPRT), a retrotransposon-derived mechanism delivered as RNA via proprietary lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The platform uniquely enables the full spectrum of editing outcomes — single base-pair changes, small insertions/deletions, exon replacements, and whole-gene insertions — without introducing double-stranded DNA breaks, distinguishing it from CRISPR/Cas-based and base-editing approaches. Tessera has built a pipeline of six in vivo therapeutic programs: a lead program TSRA-196 for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (co-developed with Regeneron), plus programs in sickle cell disease, in vivo CAR-T, phenylketonuria, Wilson's disease, and HIV.

The company's business model is presently structured around non-dilutive and strategic capital rather than product revenue. Tessera generates inflows from large pharma partnerships (notably a December 2025 global collaboration with Regeneron delivering $150M upfront plus up to $125M in milestones and a 50:50 cost/profit share on TSRA-196), foundation grants (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, up to $50M for SCD plus a March 2026 HIV grant), and government awards (up to $41.3M from ARPA-H for in vivo CAR-T). Prior to clinical entry, the company financed platform development through venture equity, including a $300M Series C in April 2022 led by a syndicate including SoftBank Vision Fund, Flagship Pioneering, and T. Rowe Price. Tessera received FDA IND clearance, Fast Track, and Orphan Drug designations for TSRA-196 in early 2026 and initiated its first-in-human Phase 1/2 trial in the US and Australia.

Tessera employs 251-500 staff and is led by CEO Michael Severino (former Vice Chairman and President of AbbVie), with a board and scientific advisory board featuring former leaders from Moderna, Bristol-Myers Squibb, bluebird bio, Sangamo, Spark, and Flagship Pioneering portfolio companies. Concurrent with entering the clinic, the company announced a workforce reduction of approximately 90 employees as part of stage-gating cost structure to clinical execution.

Name

Tessera Therapeutics

Legal name

Tessera Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://tesseratherapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Tessera Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing Gene Writing™, an RNA-delivered retrotransposon-based genome editing platform packaged in lipid nanoparticles, applied to in vivo therapies for rare genetic diseases, cell therapy, and infectious diseases including its lead program TSRA-196 for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency co-developed with Regeneron.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gene Therapy / Genetic Medicine

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Genome Editing Gene Therapies (CRISPR/TALEN/ZFN; in vivo/ex vivo) (HLAAACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL), Oncology Gene Therapies (incl. oncolytic vectors & gene-modified approaches) (HLAAACAF)

Keywords

• Gene editing therapeutics
• Genome engineering platform
• Lipid nanoparticle delivery
• In vivo gene therapy
• Genetic medicine development

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Strategic Partnership Upfront Payments & Milestones: Tessera generates revenue through upfront payments and milestone payments from large pharma collaboration partners (e.g., $150M upfront from Regeneron including cash and equity investment, plus up to $125M in development milestones for TSRA-196). Revenue is also derived from 50:50 cost and profit sharing with collaborators.
2. Foundation & Government Grants: Tessera receives grant funding from foundations (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: up to $50M for SCD; additional grant for HIV) and government agencies (ARPA-H: up to $41.3M for in vivo CAR-T) to support research and development of specific therapeutic programs targeting global health challenges.
3. Venture Capital Financing: Clinical-stage biotech has raised $300M+ in Series C financing (April 2022) with participation from multiple investors, providing capital for platform development and clinical advancement of in vivo gene writing programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Core offering

Tessera Therapeutics develops investigational in vivo gene editing therapies built on its proprietary Gene Writing™ platform, which uses Target-Primed Reverse Transcription (TPRT) to make precise alterations to the human genome (single base pair changes, insertions, deletions, exon replacements, and whole-gene insertions) without introducing double-stranded DNA breaks. Gene Writers are delivered as RNA via proprietary lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) targeting the liver, hematopoietic stem cells, and T cells, enabling one-time, re-dosable, curative treatments for serious diseases including alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, sickle cell disease, and oncology/autoimmune conditions via in vivo CAR-T.

Product overview

Tessera Therapeutics offers a unified gene medicine platform built on two complementary technology platforms — its proprietary Gene Writing™ platform (a retrotransposon-derived genome engineering system leveraging Target-Primed Reverse Transcription) and its proprietary Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Delivery platform (enabling targeted in vivo RNA delivery to the liver, hematopoietic stem cells, and T cells). These platforms together support a pipeline of in vivo therapeutic programs: the lead candidate TSRA-196 (in vivo gene editing therapy for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, co-developed with Regeneron), an In Vivo Sickle Cell Disease Program, an In Vivo CAR-T Program, an In Vivo Phenylketonuria Program, an In Vivo Wilson's Disease Program, and an early-stage In Vivo HIV Cure Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gene Writing™: Tessera's proprietary genome engineering technology platform designed to make small and large alterations to the human genome using RNA-based Gene Writers and target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT).
• Gene Writers™

Products and services

• Gene Writing™ A versatile genome engineering platform that uses Target-Primed Reverse Transcription (TPRT), derived from retrotransposons, to write or rewrite therapeutic messages into the human genome. Composed of a template RNA and a Gene Writer protein delivered as RNA, it makes small alterations (single base pair changes, insertions, deletions), exon-length replacements, and whole-gene insertions without introducing double-stranded breaks. For therapeutic developers and biopharma partners.
• Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Delivery Platform A proprietary non-viral delivery platform that packages mRNA-encoded Gene Writer and template RNA into lipid nanoparticles for in vivo administration, with targeting capabilities directed to the liver, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and T cells. Provides re-dosable, scalable, cost-effective delivery with a well-established safety track record drawn from mRNA vaccine use. For therapeutic developers.
• TSRA-196 An investigational in vivo Gene Writing therapy designed to precisely correct the SERPINA1 mutation underlying alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) and restore functional alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein production through a one-time intravenous administration. Being jointly developed and commercialized with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; FDA IND cleared in January 2026 and Phase 1/2 first-in-human trial initiated. For patients with AATD and biopharma partner Regeneron.
• In Vivo Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Program Preclinical and translational program developing an in vivo Gene Writer therapy that corrects the HBB gene mutation in long-term hematopoietic stem cells using targeted lipid nanoparticle delivery, with the goal of providing a one-time curative intravenous treatment for sickle cell disease without stem cell mobilization, ex vivo manipulation, or chemotherapy conditioning. For patients with sickle cell disease and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• In Vivo CAR-T Program Program developing single-dose in vivo chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies that use Gene Writers and T cell-targeted lipid nanoparticles to permanently integrate CAR sequences into T cells within the body, eliminating the need for ex vivo cell manipulation, viral vectors, and lymphodepletion, with potential applications in oncology and autoimmune disease. For oncology and autoimmune disease patients; supported by ARPA-H.
• In Vivo Phenylketonuria (PKU) Program Preclinical program developing an in vivo Gene Writer therapy to correct the PAH gene mutation responsible for phenylketonuria, with demonstrated editing of the PAH locus in non-human primate hepatocytes at potentially curative levels using a proprietary LNP delivery vehicle. For patients with PKU.
• In Vivo Wilson's Disease (WD) Program Preclinical program developing an in vivo Gene Writer therapy targeting the H1069Q ATP7B mutation responsible for Wilson's Disease, with demonstrated correction in humanized mouse models and restored copper physiology. For patients with Wilson's Disease.
• In Vivo HIV Cure Program Early-stage research program funded by the Gates Foundation to evaluate multiple in vivo Gene Writing strategies for a scalable HIV cure, including disrupting HIV infection pathways, introducing antiviral proteins, enabling production of broadly neutralizing antibodies, and generating engineered immune cell therapies targeting HIV-infected cells. For patients with HIV; supported by the Gates Foundation.

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Beam Therapeutics: Beam Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene editing company developing in vivo and ex vivo base editing therapies for serious diseases, with overlapping liver and HSC targets (including sickle cell disease) that directly compete with Tessera's in vivo Gene Writing programs.
• Intellia Therapeutics: Intellia is a clinical-stage CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing company developing both in vivo (liver) and ex vivo (CAR-T) therapies, competing head-to-head with Tessera in liver-targeted indications and in vivo CAR-T cell engineering.
• Verve Therapeutics: Verve is a clinical-stage in vivo base editing company targeting cardiovascular and liver indications, directly comparable to Tessera's in vivo LNP-delivered editing approach and pipeline strategy.
• Prime Medicine: Prime Medicine is a clinical-stage gene editing company developing prime editing therapies for multiple genetic diseases, comparable to Tessera as a next-generation editing platform pursuing precise, broad-spectrum DNA modifications.
• CRISPR Therapeutics: CRISPR Therapeutics is a clinical- and commercial-stage gene editing company (Casgevy approved) developing CRISPR/Cas9-based ex vivo and in vivo therapies that compete with Tessera in SCD and other indications.
• Editas Medicine: Editas Medicine is a clinical-stage CRISPR/Cas9 and Cas12a gene editing company developing ex vivo and in vivo therapies, with overlapping HSC and in vivo editing targets similar to Tessera's pipeline.

Emerging players

• Sangamo Therapeutics: Sangamo Therapeutics pioneered zinc finger nuclease-based gene editing and is now clinical-stage with in vivo and ex vivo programs; Tessera's CSO Michael Holmes previously led Sangamo, providing direct technical lineage and strategic comparability.
• Caribou Biosciences: Caribou Biosciences is a clinical-stage allogeneic CAR-T company using CRISPR-based gene editing, comparable to Tessera's in vivo CAR-T ambitions from a cell therapy platform standpoint.

Broad incumbents

• Moderna: Moderna is a large commercial-stage mRNA and LNP delivery company with significant overlap in lipid nanoparticle delivery technology and mRNA-based gene editing collaborations, and shares key board and scientific leadership (e.g., Melissa Moore) with Tessera.

Others

• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Regeneron is Tessera's $150M-upfront strategic partner on TSRA-196 and a leading antibody- and genetic-medicine biopharma; relevant as a co-developer and benchmark for commercial validation of Tessera's lead asset, though not a gene-editing competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tesseratx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tessera-therapeutics

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors20 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tessera Therapeutics