Tessera Therapeutics Secures Investment to Tackle Sickle Cell Disease

Tessera Therapeutics, a biotechnology company known for its innovative genome engineering approach, has struck a significant collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop genetic therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD). The Gates Foundation has pledged an investment of up to $50 million towards advancing Tessera's SCD program, which aims to create globally accessible in vivo treatments. Tessera’s pioneering technology, including its Gene Writing and non-viral delivery platforms, aims to correct the sickle mutation with a single intravenous administration, thereby offering a potentially groundbreaking and scalable solution to a disease that currently lacks significant treatment options. The company emphasizes the need for a safer and more efficient treatment that can be deployed worldwide, reflecting its mission to develop transformative genetic medicines. Founded by Flagship Pioneering, Tessera Therapeutics continues to push the boundaries of genetic medicine, with the potential to address not only monogenic disorders like SCD but also broader inherited and acquired conditions.