What Cero Therapeutics does

CERo Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage cellular immunotherapy company developing engineered T-cell therapies for cancer based on its proprietary Chimeric Engulfment Receptor (CER-T) platform. The company's lead product candidate, CER-1236, is an autologous T-cell therapy engineered with a chimeric engulfment receptor that combines a phagocyte extracellular domain — which binds phosphatidylserine ("Eat Me") signals externalized on tumor cells — with intracellular T-cell signaling and antigen-presentation domains. This architecture is designed to deliver direct cytotoxic killing while simultaneously stimulating adaptive immune responses through antigen processing and presentation within a single T cell, with the company positioning the approach as a way to avoid target-negative tumor escape and the cytokine release syndrome / neurotoxicity observed in conventional CAR-T therapies.

CERo is currently running the Phase 1 CERTAIN-T trial of CER-1236 in hematologic malignancies. As of mid-2026, six patients had been dosed across escalating cohorts with no dose-limiting toxicities, no observed cases of cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity, in vivo cell expansion of 20-70 fold peaking between days 7-14, and at least one patient achieving sustained platelet transfusion independence followed by successful allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The trial was expanded under FDA clearance to include myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and myelofibrosis patients, and CERo has refocused its development strategy around MDS. A pre-clinical solid tumor program using the same CER-T platform is also disclosed. The company received FDA Orphan Drug Designation for CER-1236 in AML in June 2025.

The company generates no revenue and operates a pre-commercial clinical-stage business model. Future revenue is expected to derive from product sales or licensing following regulatory approval, with cell therapy distribution anticipated to require specialized hospital pharmacies or specialty distributors with cryogenic handling capabilities. The company is headquartered in South San Francisco, California, employs a small team (1-10 per firmographic disclosures), and is publicly traded under ticker CERO. Following a Nasdaq listing determination of non-compliance in October 2025, shares moved to OTCQB in December 2025; the company has engaged an investment bank to pursue a Nasdaq relisting while relying on lead investor convertible debt funding and small Series D tranches ($5M in February 2025 and up to $8M in April 2025) to extend its cash runway.

Name

Cero Therapeutics

Legal name

CERo Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://cero.bio

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CERo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage cellular immunotherapy company developing engineered T-cell therapies using its proprietary Chimeric Engulfment Receptor (CER-T) platform, with lead candidate CER-1236 in Phase 1 trials for acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myelofibrosis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Therapy / Cancer Immunotherapy

NAICS

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

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Developers (Autologous) (HLAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies (HLAAABAC), Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)

Keywords

• Cell therapy immunotherapy
• Engineered T cells
• Hematologic cancer treatment
• Chimeric receptor platform
• Cell therapy oncology

Headquarters

HQ city

South San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Cell Therapy Development and Commercialization: As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, CERo does not currently generate revenue. The company is developing CER-1236 for hematologic malignancies with plans to advance through clinical trials and seek regulatory approval for commercialization. Future revenue will derive from product sales following FDA approval.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CERo Therapeutics develops engineered autologous T cell therapies for cancer using its proprietary Chimeric Engulfment Receptor T (CER-T) cell platform, which integrates innate (phagocytosis/antigen presentation) and adaptive (T-cell cytotoxicity) immune mechanisms into a single T cell. The lead product candidate CER-1236 is in Phase 1 clinical trials for hematologic malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myelofibrosis, with a pre-clinical program for solid tumors.

Product overview

Cero Therapeutics is developing a portfolio of CER T-cell (Chimeric Engulfment Receptor T cell) products based on its proprietary technology platform. The company's lead product is CER-1236, which targets hematologic malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myelofibrosis. The platform technology engineers T cells to combine attributes of both innate (engulfment and antigen presentation) and adaptive (T-cell activation) immune systems for enhanced anti-tumor responses. The company also has a pre-clinical solid tumor program using the same CER-1236 technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CER-1236 (Lead Program) Lead CER T-cell product candidate targeting hematologic malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myelofibrosis. Engineered with chimeric engulfment receptor technology to combine innate and adaptive immune responses against tumor cells.
• CER T-Cell Platform Proprietary autologous cell therapy platform engineering T cells with chimeric engulfment receptors that target cancer cells' 'eat me' signals (phosphatidylserine). Combines direct cell killing and phagocytic antigen presentation into single T cells for treatment of hematologic and solid tumors.
• CER-1236 Solid Tumor Program CER T-cell product candidate for solid tumor indications leveraging the CER-T platform mechanism that may overcome solid tumor microenvironment barriers, currently in pre-clinical stage.

Quantifiable outcome

• No dose-limiting toxicities observed across six patients treated in Phase 1 trial
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Allogene Therapeutics: Clinical-stage allogeneic CAR-T developer targeting hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Highly comparable to CERo as a cell therapy biotech with platform-level ambition, though focused on off-the-shelf rather than autologous approaches.
• Caribou Biosciences: Clinical-stage allogeneic CAR-T developer using CRISPR-based genome editing for hematologic malignancies. Closely comparable as a clinical-stage engineered T-cell therapy company with a platform approach.
• Precision BioSciences: Clinical-stage cell therapy developer using ARCUS gene editing to create allogeneic CAR-T candidates for hematologic malignancies. Comparable in stage, modality, and target indications.
• Atara Biotherapeutics: Clinical-stage allogeneic T-cell therapy developer (tab-cel, tabelecleucel) targeting hematologic malignancies and viral-associated diseases. Directly comparable as a small-cap public cell therapy biotech.
• Celyad Oncology: Clinical-stage cell therapy developer working on CAR-T and TCR-based therapies for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Comparable in scale, modality, and clinical-stage profile.

Broad incumbents

• Adaptimmune Therapeutics: Clinical/commercial-stage engineered T-cell therapy company with approved TCR-T product (Tecelra). Comparable as a public cell therapy biotech working on novel receptor-based T-cell engineering, though at a more advanced commercial stage.
• CRISPR Therapeutics: Commercial-stage gene-edited cell therapy company (Casgevy approved for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia). Comparable as an engineered cell therapy platform company, though more advanced and broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Lyell Immunopharma: Clinical-stage cell therapy company focused on solid tumor CAR-T and TCR-T programs. Directly comparable as a next-generation cell therapy biotech, and was a prior CERo investor.
• Cellectis: Clinical-stage allogeneic CAR-T developer using TALEN gene editing. Comparable as a pioneering engineered T-cell therapy platform pursuing both hematologic and solid tumor indications.
• CARsgen Therapeutics: Clinical/commercial-stage CAR-T developer (zevorcabtagene autoleucel approved in China for multiple myeloma) with pipeline in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Comparable cell therapy modality and indications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cero Therapeutics