Calidi Biotherapeutics is developing a novel immunotherapy that utilizes engineered neural stem cells to deliver an oncolytic virus, targeting solid tumors and enhancing the immune response against metastatic cancer. This approach transforms immunologically "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors, enabling the immune system to effectively recognize and attack both primary and distant cancer cells.
Funding
$4.3M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Solid tumors often lack immune cell infiltration, creating an immunologically "cold" environment that prevents the immune system from recognizing and attacking cancer cells effectively. Current cancer therapies may not be sufficient to overcome this immune resistance, leading to limited efficacy against metastatic disease.
Solution
Calidi Biotherapeutics is developing an "off-the-shelf" allogeneic cell-based immunotherapy platform that utilizes engineered neural stem cells to deliver an oncolytic virus directly to solid tumors. This targeted delivery transforms the tumor microenvironment from immunologically "cold" to "hot," promoting local cancer cell death and stimulating a systemic anti-tumor immune response. The engineered stem cells are designed to shield the oncolytic virus from immune clearance, enhancing its ability to selectively infect and lyse cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. By converting tumors into sites of active inflammation and immune cell recruitment, Calidi's approach aims to overcome resistance to conventional immunotherapies and improve outcomes in patients with advanced or metastatic cancers.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors, particularly those with recurrent high-grade glioma, and healthcare providers specializing in oncology and immunotherapy.
Features
- Engineered allogeneic neural stem cells for targeted delivery of oncolytic viruses to solid tumors
- Oncolytic virus payload designed to selectively infect and lyse cancer cells
- Mechanism to convert immunologically "cold" tumors to "hot" tumors, enhancing immune recognition
- Systemic immune response induction to target metastatic disease
- Protection of oncolytic virus from immune clearance for enhanced therapeutic efficacy
- RTNova systemic virotherapy technology designed to target metastatic lung cancer