Sana Biotechnology
Sana Biotechnology is a Seattle-based, publicly traded (NASDAQ: SANA) clinical-stage biotech developing engineered cell therapies for Type 1 Diabetes, B-cell cancers, autoimmune diseases, and genetic blood disorders. Its two proprietary platforms — Hypoimmune (HIP) for immune evasion and Fusogen for in vivo delivery — underpin a pipeline of allogeneic islet and in vivo CAR T candidates.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sana Biotechnology does
Sana Biotechnology is a Seattle-headquartered, publicly traded (NASDAQ: SANA) clinical-stage biotechnology company developing engineered cells as medicines for Type 1 Diabetes, B-cell cancers, B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, and genetic blood disorders. Founded in 2018, the company operates from three U.S. sites (Seattle, South San Francisco, Cambridge) with 251–500 employees and has raised approximately $1.5B in cumulative capital, including a $587.5M IPO in 2021 — at the time the third-largest biotech IPO in history.
Sana's product engine is built on two proprietary platforms. The Hypoimmune (HIP) platform genetically modifies cells to evade both innate and adaptive immune detection, enabling allogeneic cell transplantation without chronic immunosuppression; it underpins UP421 (HIP-modified primary allogeneic islet cells in a Phase 1 investigator-sponsored trial at Uppsala University Hospital showing 14-month insulin production without immunosuppression) and SC451 (HIP-modified iPSC-derived pancreatic islet cells in preclinical development for Type 1 Diabetes, planned for IND filing and Phase 1 initiation as early as 2026 in collaboration with Mayo Clinic). The Fusogen platform uses engineered virus-like particles for in vivo delivery of genetic payloads to specific cell types, supporting SG293 (CD19-directed in vivo CAR T for B-cell cancers and autoimmune disease), SG227 (BCMA-directed in vivo CAR T for multiple myeloma), and preclinical in vivo gene editing of hematopoietic stem cells (published in Nature Biotechnology, December 2025) for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Manufacturing for SC451 is conducted at external partners in Texas and Canada.
Sana is pre-revenue from a product standpoint, with FY2025 collaboration and licensing revenue of $138M characterized as non-recurring milestone recognition rather than recurring product sales, against a $244.2M net loss and $666M of cumulative 2025 R&D spend. The company's go-to-market is research-driven and partnership-led rather than commercial — relying on strategic collaborations with academic medical centers (Mayo Clinic, Uppsala University Hospital), repeated public equity offerings (Feb 2024 $165M, Aug 2025 $161.3M combined, April 2026 $25M Mayo investment, May 2026 $69M ATM), and capital markets engagement (investor conferences, sell-side analyst coverage) rather than building commercial sales infrastructure. Pricing model is undetermined pending regulatory approval.
Sana Biotechnology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sana Biotechnology
- Legal name
- Sana Biotechnology, Inc.
- Website
- https://sana.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Sana Biotechnology is a Seattle-based, publicly traded (NASDAQ: SANA) clinical-stage biotech developing engineered cell therapies for Type 1 Diabetes, B-cell cancers, autoimmune diseases, and genetic blood disorders. Its two proprietary platforms — Hypoimmune (HIP) for immune evasion and Fusogen for in vivo delivery — underpin a pipeline of allogeneic islet and in vivo CAR T candidates.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sana Biotechnology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cell Therapy / Engineered Cell Medicines
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cell Therapy Developers (Allogeneic/Off-the-shelf) (HLAAABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies (HLAAAGAA)
Keywords
Where Sana Biotechnology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sana Biotechnology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Collaboration and Licensing Revenue: Revenue from existing collaboration, licensing, and milestone receipts. Sana reported $138M in collaboration revenue for FY2025; treated as one-time/non-recurring accounting recognition rather than recurring product revenue.
- Future Cell Therapy Product Sales (Pre-Commercial): Pre-revenue with no approved products. Future revenue expected from one-time administration cell therapy product sales (SC451, SG293, UP421) once regulatory approval is obtained. Currently in clinical development with no commercial product revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | No pricing publicly disclosed - clinical stage, no approved products |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Sana Biotechnology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sana Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing engineered cell therapies for Type 1 Diabetes, B-cell cancers, B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, and genetic blood disorders. Its pipeline combines two proprietary platforms — the Hypoimmune (HIP) ex vivo cell engineering platform and the Fusogen in vivo delivery platform — applied across allogeneic iPSC-derived pancreatic islet cell candidates (SC451, UP421), in vivo CAR T programs (SG293, SG227), and in vivo hematopoietic stem cell gene editing research. As a pre-revenue biotech, Sana has no approved products; its offerings are investigational therapies currently distributed through clinical trial sites and academic medical center collaborations.
Product overview
Sana Biotechnology operates a single-platform-plus-pipeline architecture centered on engineered cells as medicines. The two core technology platforms — the Hypoimmune (HIP) ex vivo cell engineering platform and the Fusogen in vivo cell engineering platform — together feed an internal pipeline of named product candidates. The HIP platform underpins the lead ex vivo pancreatic islet cell programs for type 1 diabetes: UP421 (a clinical-stage investigator-sponsored allogeneic primary islet cell therapy) and SC451 (a preclinical iPSC-derived, HIP-modified islet cell therapy that Sana plans to advance into a Phase 1 trial as early as 2026 in collaboration with Mayo Clinic). The Fusogen platform underpins the in vivo CAR T pipeline, including the lead SG293 (CD8/CD19) candidate for B-cell cancers and B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, the earlier-stage SG227 (CD8/BCMA) candidate for multiple myeloma, and preclinical in vivo gene editing of hematopoietic stem cells published in Nature Biotechnology. Manufacturing and process development for SC451 are conducted at external partners in Texas and Canada, supported by internal MSAT, supply chain, and analytical development teams across Sana's Seattle, Cambridge, and South San Francisco sites.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SC451 SC451 is Sana's hypoimmune (HIP)-modified, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived pancreatic islet cell therapy in preclinical development for type 1 diabetes, designed to enable long-term glucose control without ongoing insulin injections or immunosuppression after a single administration.
- UP421 UP421 is an allogeneic primary pancreatic islet cell therapy investigated under an investigator-sponsored first-in-human Phase 1 safety study (NCT06239636) of hypoimmune pancreatic islet cell transplantation for type 1 diabetes without immunosuppression, conducted in partnership with Uppsala University Hospital.
- SG293 (CD8/CD19) SG293 is Sana's CD19-directed in vivo CAR T product candidate using its proprietary fusogen-based delivery technology for cell-specific delivery to CD8+ T cells, with potential applications in B-cell cancers and B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases.
- SG227 (CD8/BCMA) SG227 is an in vivo CAR T candidate from Sana's fusogen-based delivery platform targeting BCMA on T cells, being developed for multiple myeloma.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14-month first-in-human follow-up demonstrating HIP-modified islet cell survival and insulin production without immunosuppression (UP421)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sana Biotechnology
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sana Biotechnology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Sana Biotechnology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Mayo ClinicflagshipMulti-year strategic research and development collaboration focused on advancing SC451, Sana's stem cell-derived pancreatic islet cell therapy for Type 1 Diabetes. The collaboration includes an equity investment from Mayo Clinic into Sana. The agreement aligns Sana's HIP platform and SC451 program with Mayo Clinic's translational and clinical capabilities in Type 1 Diabetes.
- Uppsala University HospitalcoreClinical study partner for the UP421 first-in-human study evaluating HIP-modified primary allogeneic islet cell therapy in Type 1 Diabetes. Uppsala delivered the 14-month proof-of-concept data demonstrating cell survival and insulin production without immunosuppression.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sana Biotechnology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Vertex is developing zimislecel, an allogeneic stem cell-derived islet cell therapy for Type 1 Diabetes, the same lead indication as Sana's SC451. Vertex is the most direct competitor in the engineered islet cell space, with Phase 3-stage data and substantially greater capital and commercial infrastructure.
- Sernova Corp: Sernova is developing the Cell Pouch system for transplantation of insulin-producing cells in Type 1 Diabetes, the same core indication as Sana's UP421 and SC451. Both companies are pursuing cell replacement therapy for T1D, though Sernova's approach uses a device-encapsulated allogeneic islet cell strategy without HIP modification.
- Fate Therapeutics: Fate is the closest direct peer in iPSC-derived off-the-shelf cell therapies, using a similar ex vivo engineered cell platform approach with multiple cell type programs. Both companies pursue allogeneic iPSC-derived immune-evaded cell products for cancer and immunology indications.
- Allogene Therapeutics: Allogene is the leading allogeneic CAR T developer, with allogeneic CD19 and BCMA CAR T programs in clinical development that overlap with Sana's SG293 (CD19 in vivo CAR T) and SG227 (BCMA in vivo CAR T). Both companies target B-cell cancers using engineered T cell approaches, though Allogene uses ex vivo manufacturing while Sana uses in vivo delivery.
- Intellia Therapeutics: Intellia is a clinical-stage in vivo gene editing company using CRISPR/Cas9 delivered via LNP to edit genes in patients, with programs in transthyretin amyloidosis, hereditary angioedema, and HSCs. The in vivo HSC gene editing approach intersects with Sana's Fusogen-based HSC program for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.
- CRISPR Therapeutics: CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company with Casgevy, the first FDA-approved CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. The HSC gene editing programs overlap directly with Sana's preclinical Fusogen-based in vivo HSC editing approach for the same indications.
- Beam Therapeutics: Beam is a clinical-stage base editing company developing in vivo and ex vivo gene editing therapies, including programs in sickle cell disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and T-cell leukemias. Beam's in vivo gene editing programs directly overlap with Sana's Fusogen-platform in vivo delivery approach for genetic blood disorders.
- Editas Medicine: Editas is a clinical-stage gene editing company developing CRISPR-based medicines for sickle cell disease, beta-thalassemia, and inherited retinal diseases. Its HSC gene editing program for hemoglobinopathies competes directly with Sana's preclinical Fusogen-based in vivo HSC editing approach.
Emerging players
- Verve Therapeutics: Verve is a clinical-stage in vivo gene editing company developing one-time treatments for cardiovascular disease using base editing delivered via LNPs. Verve's in vivo delivery approach to a different organ system (liver) parallels Sana's in vivo Fusogen platform strategy and represents a comparable in vivo gene editing business model.
- Caribou Biosciences: Caribou is a clinical-stage allogeneic CAR T and natural killer cell therapy company with programs in B-cell cancers and autoimmune disease. Its allogeneic CD19 CAR T cell therapy (CB-010) competes with Sana's SG293 in vivo CD19 CAR T program in the same indications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sana Biotechnology social profiles
Digital presenceSana Biotechnology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sana Biotechnology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Sana Biotechnology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sana Biotechnology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sana Biotechnology
What does Sana Biotechnology do?
Sana Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing engineered cell therapies for Type 1 Diabetes, B-cell cancers, B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, and genetic blood disorders. Its pipeline combines two proprietary platforms — the Hypoimmune (HIP) ex vivo cell engineering platform and the Fusogen in vivo delivery platform — applied across allogeneic iPSC-derived pancreatic islet cell candidates (SC451, UP421), in vivo CAR T programs (SG293, SG227), and in vivo hematopoietic stem cell gene editing research. As a pre-revenue biotech, Sana has no approved products; its offerings are investigational therapies currently distributed through clinical trial sites and academic medical center collaborations.
Is Sana Biotechnology a public or private company?
Sana Biotechnology is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Sana Biotechnology founded?
Sana Biotechnology was founded in 2018. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Sana Biotechnology based?
Sana Biotechnology is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sana Biotechnology make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Collaboration and Licensing Revenue is the primary driver. The others are future Cell Therapy Product Sales (Pre-Commercial).
Who are Sana Biotechnology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Sernova Corp, Fate Therapeutics, Allogene Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics, CRISPR Therapeutics, Beam Therapeutics and Editas Medicine. Emerging players are Verve Therapeutics and Caribou Biosciences.
Does Sana Biotechnology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sana Biotechnology.
What industry is Sana Biotechnology in?
Sana Biotechnology's product category is Cell Therapy / Engineered Cell Medicines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAABAB, Cell Therapy Developers (Allogeneic/Off-the-shelf), with a secondary code of HLAAAGAA, Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2834.