What Liberate Bio does

Liberate Bio is a pre-clinical biotechnology company developing non-viral lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technologies for nucleic acid cargoes, with a focus on reaching disease-driving cells outside the liver — specifically monocytes, macrophages, and cells in the bloodstream, bone marrow, and spleen — that have historically been inaccessible to genetic medicines. Founded in 2022 in Boston and operating with 11–50 employees, the company combines its proprietary LNP delivery platform with the RAPTOR™ screening platform, which uses machine learning to identify delivery solutions that function in vivo.

The company's lead therapeutic application is in vivo CAR-M (chimeric antigen receptor macrophage) therapy, which reprograms monocytes and macrophages directly in the body without ex vivo manipulation, avoiding the cost and complexity of conventional cell therapies. Liberate has two initial programs: (1) an oncology program targeting BCMA in multiple myeloma, with the goal of selectively killing malignant plasma cells in blood and bone marrow; and (2) an autoimmune disease program targeting CD19 to address B-cell-driven conditions including Systemic Sclerosis, CIDP, and Myasthenia Gravis, aiming for durable remission rather than chronic immunosuppression. The company's CAR-construct intellectual property is sourced through exclusive and non-exclusive licenses from Carisma Therapeutics and the University of Pennsylvania.

Liberate Bio generates no current revenue and operates as an R&D-focused biotech. The company raised $31M in seed funding from Khosla Ventures in October 2025 and is advancing its first in vivo CAR-M candidate toward IND-enabling studies, with the first clinical evaluation targeted for the second half of 2026 through an investigator-initiated trial in jurisdictions including China. Future revenue is expected to come from licensing/royalty arrangements or eventual product commercialization contingent on clinical and regulatory success. The company is led by CEO Shawn Davis, PhD, and CSO Walter Strapps, PhD, with academic co-founders Theresa M. Reineke (University of Minnesota), Michael Mitchell (University of Pennsylvania), and Nessan Bermingham (Khosla Ventures).

Name

Liberate Bio

Legal name

Liberate Bio

Website

https://liberatebio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Liberate Bio is a pre-clinical Boston-based biotech developing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology for in vivo CAR-M therapies, using its RAPTOR™ screening platform to target monocytes, macrophages, and bone marrow cells in multiple myeloma and B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

In Vivo Cell Therapy

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

Non-viral Gene Delivery & Gene Therapy (LNP, polymers, electroporation, physical methods) (HLAAACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

RNA Delivery Technologies (LNPs, polymers, conjugates incl. GalNAc, peptides, exosomes) (HLAAADAD)

Keywords

• Lipid nanoparticle delivery
• In vivo cell therapy
• CAR-M therapy
• Non-viral gene delivery
• Nucleic acid therapeutics

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Therapeutic Product Development: As a pre-clinical stage biotech company, Liberate Bio is focused on developing its CAR-M therapy pipeline. Revenue generation will depend on successful clinical development, regulatory approval, and commercialization. Potential revenue streams include product sales upon approval or licensing/royalties from partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Liberate Bio develops a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery platform combined with the RAPTOR™ screening platform to enable in vivo genetic medicines to reach disease-driving cells outside the liver, specifically targeting immune cells in the bloodstream, bone marrow, and spleen. Its first therapeutic application is in vivo CAR-M (chimeric antigen receptor macrophage) therapy, which reprograms monocytes and macrophages directly inside the body to address hematologic cancers and B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.

Product overview

Liberate Bio offers a unified platform approach combining its proprietary RAPTOR™ discovery platform with LNP (lipid nanoparticle) delivery technology to enable in vivo genetic medicines. The core product is CAR-M (Chimeric Antigen Receptor Macrophages) therapy, which reprograms monocytes and macrophages directly within the body to target disease-driving cells. The company applies this platform across two therapeutic programs: oncology (Multiple Myeloma targeting BCMA) and autoimmune disease (targeting CD19 for conditions including Systemic Sclerosis, CIDP, and Myasthenia Gravis).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAPTOR™: Scalable discovery platform that identifies delivery solutions for genetic medicines to reach specific cell populations in vivo, including immune cells and bone marrow.

Products and services

• CAR-M Therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor Macrophages) Liberate Bio's first therapeutic application, applying its LNP delivery platform to reprogram monocytes and macrophages directly in vivo using chimeric antigen receptors. This enables antigen-directed recognition and elimination of disease-driving cell populations without ex vivo manipulation, targeting patients with hematologic cancers and B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
• Multiple Myeloma Program Oncology therapeutic program using monocytes and macrophages genetically programmed via LNP delivery to target cancer cells expressing BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen). The program enables selective killing of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow and blood, with the goal of training the immune system to systemically target cancer cells. Targeted at patients with multiple myeloma.
• B-Cell-Driven Autoimmune Disease Programs Therapeutic programs targeting CD19 to address autoimmune diseases driven by pathogenic B cells, including Systemic Sclerosis, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), and Myasthenia Gravis. Designed to reset dysregulated immune responses without chronic, non-specific immunosuppression, with the goal of enabling durable remission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Preclinical data showed significant depletion of B cells in non-human primates
• +1 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

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Carisma TherapeuticscoreTechnology or Integration · 5 March 2026Liberate Bio secured exclusive and non-exclusive licenses for patents related to myeloid-specific CAR designs from Carisma Therapeutics. These licensed CAR-sequence patents complement Liberate's proprietary LNP delivery platform and RAPTOR™ screening platform, enabling integration of optimized CAR designs with cell-selective in vivo delivery technology.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreTechnology or Integration · 5 March 2026Liberate Bio obtained licenses to key patents covering CAR designs optimized for myeloid cells from the University of Pennsylvania, alongside Carisma Therapeutics. The licensed intellectual property covers myeloid-specific CAR designs for monocytes and macrophages and is integral to advancing the company's in vivo CAR-M therapy programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Moderna: Leader in LNP-based nucleic acid delivery with proprietary lipid platforms used across mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Represents a well-capitalized competitor and potential partner/acquirer in the LNP delivery space.
• BioNTech: Major LNP and mRNA therapeutics company with multiple pipeline programs and proprietary lipid platforms. Comparable as a large, well-capitalized LNP delivery competitor with active autoimmune and oncology programs.
• Intellia Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene editing company pursuing both in vivo (LNP) and ex vivo delivery approaches. Comparable as a competitor in the in vivo genetic medicine space with significant resources and pipeline.
• Beam Therapeutics: Clinical-stage base editing company developing in vivo LNP-delivered genetic medicines. Competes in the broader in vivo genetic medicine space and represents potential partnership interest in cell-targeted delivery.

Emerging players

• Capsida Biotherapeutics: Engineered AAV and non-viral gene therapy delivery platforms for CNS and other tissues. Comparable as a non-viral delivery platform company pursuing tissue-selective genetic medicine delivery.
• Arsenal Biosciences: Engineered cell therapy company developing programmable CAR-T therapies using synthetic biology approaches. Adjacent in cell therapy engineering, focused on solid tumors and autoimmune indications overlapping Liberate's targets.
• Generation Bio: Develops non-viral genetic medicines using lipid nanoparticle-like delivery systems for gene therapy. Directly comparable in its use of non-viral delivery to reach traditionally inaccessible cell types.
• Verve Therapeutics: Clinical-stage company developing in vivo gene editing therapies delivered via LNPs targeting liver and other tissues. Comparable in approach to in vivo LNP delivery, though focused on gene editing rather than CAR-M.

Direct peers

• Carisma Therapeutics: Pioneer in CAR-M (chimeric antigen receptor macrophage) cell therapy for oncology. Liberate has licensed myeloid-CAR IP from Carisma, and both companies target macrophage reprogramming — though Carisma's approach is ex vivo while Liberate's is in vivo.
• Myeloid Therapeutics: Clinical-stage company engineering myeloid cells (including macrophages) for cancer and autoimmune disease therapy. Most direct competitor in the CAR-M / myeloid cell engineering space overlapping Liberate's therapeutic programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liberate-bio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Liberate Bio