Sail Biomedicines, a Flagship Pioneering company creating a new class of RNA medicines, today announced a strategic collaboration with Johnson & Johnson to advance innovative In Vivo Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies that have the potential to improve patient outcomes for immune-mediated diseases. The collaboration will combine Sail’s pioneering AI-driven product design using its proprietary eRNA™ and targeted nanoparticle platform with Johnson & Johnson’s world-class capabilities in drug development, manufacturing, and commercialization. The companies will advance Sail’s vanguard In Vivo CAR-T program in autoimmune diseases while pursuing additional programs that leverage Sail’s industry leading product engine to build a portfolio of In Vivo CAR-T medicines designed to drive durable disease remission by resetting the immune system.
Sail has built an integrated product engine with the potential to turn the promise of In Vivo CAR-T into a scalable class of medicines based on pioneering research done in Flagship Labs. By designing eRNA™ constructs, targeted nanoparticles, and manufacturing as one coordinated system, Sail can direct what therapeutic instructions are delivered, which cells receive them, and how long they are expressed.
“We believe In Vivo CAR-T therapies have the potential to create a disruptive paradigm shift — from chronic treatments to potentially curative medicines for patients with immune-mediated diseases,” said John D. Mendlein, Ph.D., Executive Chairman of Sail Biomedicines and Executive Partner at Flagship Pioneering. “Our new class of medicines offers an innovative therapeutic horizon for patients and providers — powerful, accessible, and scalable products. We are thrilled to work with Johnson & Johnson’s scientists and leadership on our shared vision of bringing curative impact to millions of people with immune-mediated diseases.”
Under the terms of the agreements, Johnson & Johnson would make total initial payments of $785 million, including a $465 million equity investment, and additional payments of $140 million dependent on the achievement of certain development milestones. Subject to Johnson & Johnson’s decision to exercise the option, Johnson & Johnson would make an additional payment of $2.58 billion.
About Sail Biomedicines
Sail Biomedicines is creating a new class of RNA medicines designed to instruct therapeutic activity directly inside a patient’s body and within selected cells. Sail’s platform integrates Endless RNA™ (eRNA™), targeted nanoparticle delivery, and AI-enabled design to develop medicines with optimized therapeutic performance. The company is focused on applying its platform to In Vivo CAR-T medicines for immune-mediated diseases, with the goal of bringing the curative potential of CAR-T cell therapy to substantially more patients. Sail was founded by Flagship Pioneering and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more, visit www.sail.bio and follow us on X (@SailBiomeds) and LinkedIn.
1 Collaboration agreement between Sail and Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company.
2 Equity investment made by Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc., Johnson & Johnson’s corporate venture capital arm.
3 Payments to be allocated amongst Sail and Sail shareholders based on the terms of the agreements.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260728202837/en/
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