Carina Biotech

What Carina Biotech does

Carina Biotech is a privately held, clinical-stage immuno-oncology company headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, developing CAR-T and adoptive cell therapies for solid tumors. Founded in 2018 (per company history) by Professor Simon Barry, originally based on technology developed at the Women's & Children's Hospital, the company pursues what it characterizes as a first-in-class approach by targeting LGR5, a cancer stem cell marker highly expressed on advanced colorectal cancer and certain other solid tumors, with the aim of reducing relapse rather than only debulking bulk tumor.

Its lead candidate CNA3103 is an LGR5-targeted autologous CAR-T cell therapy currently in an FDA-cleared Phase 1/2a trial (NCT05759728) in metastatic colorectal cancer patients who have failed two prior lines of therapy; the first patient was dosed in December 2023 at three Australian sites. The technology stack comprises a proprietary multifunctional chemokine receptor platform intended to improve CAR-T trafficking into and infiltration of solid tumors, an integrated proprietary manufacturing process delivering 'serial-killing' CAR-T cells, and an inbound CXCR6-transduction license from LMU Munich via BayPAT. A second candidate, CNA1003, is a broad-spectrum CAR-T directed at an atypical solid-cancer antigen with activity across more than 20 cancer cell lines.

Carina is pre-revenue: its business model rests on clinical development of internal programs to value-inflection milestones plus selective licensing of non-core assets. It has generated modest, undisclosed upfront cash and equity from out-licensing its nfP2X7-targeted CAR-T program to Biosceptre (July 2020), co-developed a GPC-1 CAR-T with Glytherix (September 2020), and partnered with AdAlta (August 2021) on i-body-enabled CAR-T constructs. Manufacturing is outsourced to CellVec (Singapore, lentivirus) and Cell Therapies (Australia, GMP CAR-T). Capital raised to date totals approximately AUD 13.65 million across a 2020 South Australian government RCSF grant, a AUD 5.4 million 2021 round, and a AUD 7.5 million 2022 first close led by Tenmile, with the leadership bench anchored by CEO & Managing Director Dr. Deborah Rathjen and a KOL-heavy Medical Advisory Board.

Name

Carina Biotech

Legal name

Carina Biotech

Website

https://carinabiotech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carina Biotech is a clinical-stage Australian biotech developing CAR-T cell therapies for solid tumors. Its lead candidate CNA3103 is an LGR5-targeted CAR-T in a Phase 1/2a trial for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Therapy / Cancer Immunotherapy

NAICS

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

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies (HLAAABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)

Keywords

• CAR-T cell therapy
• Cancer immunotherapy
• Solid tumor therapy
• Cell therapy platform
• Adoptive cell therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carina Biotech develops autologous CAR-T cell therapies for solid cancers, with lead candidate CNA3103 targeting the LGR5 cancer stem cell marker for metastatic colorectal cancer (currently in Phase 1/2a trials under FDA IND clearance). The pipeline also includes CNA1003 (broad-spectrum CAR-T against an atypical solid cancer antigen) and a preclinical ADAM10 CAR-T program, supported by a proprietary chemokine receptor platform and an integrated manufacturing process for serial-killing CAR-T cells.

Product overview

Carina Biotech is a clinical-stage cell therapy immuno-oncology company developing CAR-T and other adoptive cell therapies for solid cancers. The company's lead product is CNA3103, an LGR5-targeted CAR-T cell therapy currently in Phase 1/2a clinical trials for metastatic colorectal cancer. The product portfolio includes CNA1003 (broad-spectrum CAR-T for solid cancers), alongside licensed programs (nfP2X7 CAR-T to Biosceptre, GPC-1 CAR-T with Glytherix) and preclinical programs (ADAM10 CAR-T). The company employs two proprietary technology platforms: a multifunctional chemokine receptor platform to enhance CAR-T cell tumor infiltration, and an integrated manufacturing process for improved cell quality and serial-killing capability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CNA3103 Autologous CAR-T cell therapy targeting the LGR5 cancer stem cell marker, in development for metastatic colorectal cancer; currently in a Phase 1/2a clinical trial under FDA IND clearance. Intended for oncology treatment centers and, ultimately, metastatic colorectal cancer patients.
• CNA1003 Broad-spectrum autologous CAR-T cell therapy designed to target an atypical solid cancer antigen, in preclinical development for solid tumors.
• ADAM10 CAR-T Program Preclinical CAR-T cell therapy program targeting ADAM10-expressing solid tumors, leveraging Carina's chemokine receptor and manufacturing platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Complete tumor regression with no tumor recurrence following single administration in preclinical studies
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cell TherapiescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2022Australian organization contracted to undertake GMP manufacture of LGR5 CAR-T cells for first-in-human clinical trial.
• CellVeccoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2021Singapore-based CDMO contracted to manufacture clinical-grade lentivirus (first critical step in making LGR5 CAR-T cells) for first-in-human clinical trial. CellVec is GMP-certified for viral vector production in Southeast Asia.
• AdAltaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Collaboration agreement with Melbourne biotech AdAlta to develop precision engineered, i-body enabled CAR-T therapies for patients with cancer.
• Medical Advisory Board (Dr. José Iglesias, A/Prof Jayesh Desai, Dr. Scott Kopetz, Dr. Roisin O'Cearbhaill)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021Four-member Medical Advisory Board comprising key opinion leaders in oncology/CAR-T cell therapy including experts from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre to advise on clinical development of LGR5-targeted CAR-T.
• Professor Shaun McCollcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Immunology expert from University of Adelaide's Chemokine Biology Laboratory leading research on chemokine receptor-mediated CAR-T active migration to solid tumors.
• Dr. José IglesiascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Chief Medical Advisor with 30+ years experience designing and leading oncology clinical trials. Past positions include CMO at Bionomics, Biothera, Senti Biosciences, and VP Clinical Development at Celgene.
• Professor Simon BarrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder; Senior Research Fellow at University of Adelaide and Chief Medical Scientist at Women's & Children's Hospital. Leads CAR-T cell development program.
• Seattle Children's Research Institute / Professor Mike JensencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021World-renowned CAR-T therapy innovator and researcher leading the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research. Collaborative relationship involves information sharing and training, including hosting Carina researchers for extended periods.
• University of AdelaidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Academic partner providing research facilities and personnel including Chemokine Biology Laboratory (Prof. McColl) and collaborators at the institution.
• University of South Australia (UniSA) / Centre for Cancer BiologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Academic partner providing research facilities and personnel including Vascular Biology & Cell Trafficking Laboratory (Prof. Claudine Bonder) and Centre for Cancer Biology.
• Women's & Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Research collaborator providing facilities and personnel including Prof. Simon Barry's laboratory where CAR-T technology was originally developed.
• GlytherixminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020Co-development agreement to create CAR-T cells targeting GPC-1 (Glypican-1) for treating solid tumors including prostate, bladder, pancreatic, glioblastoma, oesophageal, and ovarian cancers. Creates jointly owned IP.
• BiosceptreminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 July 2020Exclusive rights licensed to Biosceptre for nfP2X7-targeted CAR-T cells and associated intellectual property. Carina received upfront cash payment and equity in Biosceptre. Collaboration to further develop the nfP2X7 CAR-T program towards clinical trials.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Marker Therapeutics: Marker Therapeutics is a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing multi-tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-specific T cell therapies for solid tumors, comparable as a small-cap solid-tumor cell therapy peer.
• Cellectis: Cellectis develops allogeneic CAR-T therapies using gene-editing technology, with programs targeting both hematologic and solid tumor indications — relevant as a broader cell therapy platform peer.
• Adaptimmune Therapeutics: Adaptimmune develops SPEAR T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies for solid tumors, a closely related modality to CAR-T and a competitor for the same solid-tumor patient populations Carina is targeting.
• Senti Biosciences: Senti Biosciences is a clinical-stage gene circuit-engineered cell therapy company working on CAR-T and other cell therapies for solid tumors — directly relevant as a peer in engineered cell therapy for oncology (Carina's CMO Iglesias previously served as CMO at Senti).
• Immatics: Immatics develops TCR-based immunotherapies and adoptive cell therapies for solid tumors, with overlapping target biology and clinical-stage development comparable to Carina's solid-tumor CAR-T pipeline.

Direct peers

• Eureka Therapeutics: Eureka Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company developing CAR-T therapies targeting solid tumors with proprietary TCR-mimic and T cell platforms, closely aligned with Carina's autologous solid-tumor CAR-T mission.
• Celyad Oncology: Celyad Oncology is a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing CAR-T therapies with a particular focus on solid tumors, making it one of the most directly comparable peers to Carina Biotech's solid-tumor CAR-T strategy.
• Tessa Therapeutics: Tessa Therapeutics develops autologous and allogeneic cell therapies for solid tumors, including CAR-T programs targeting solid cancer indications — directly comparable to Carina's autologous solid-tumor CAR-T approach.
• Tmunity Therapeutics: Tmunity is a clinical-stage cell therapy company focused on engineered T cells including CAR-T for solid tumor indications — a direct peer in the solid-tumor CAR-T niche targeting similar solid tumor antigens.

Broad incumbents

• Gilead Sciences (Kite Pharma): Gilead (via Kite Pharma) is a global leader in commercial CAR-T cell therapy with approved products and broad solid-tumor pipeline investment — a large incumbent whose CAR-T franchise defines the regulatory and commercial landscape Carina would eventually compete in or partner with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CarinaBiotech
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarinaBiotech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/12899737

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Carina Biotech