On May 12, 2026 Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SANA), a company focused on changing the possible for patients through engineered cells, reported the presentation of preclinical data demonstrating that a surrogate SG293, an in vivo CAR T cell therapy, achieved cell-specific delivery, robust and dose-dependent CAR T cell generation, and deep B cell depletion in non-human primates (NHPs) without the use of lymphodepleting chemotherapy. SG293 is a CD8-targeted fusosome that delivers the genetic material to make CD19-directed CAR T cells. The data were reported in an oral presentation at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) 2026 Annual Meeting.
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"SG293 represents a differentiated in vivo CAR T cell approach designed to work without lymphodepletion to deliver potent therapeutic activity and exceptional specificity to minimize off-target effects," said Dhaval Patel, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer. "Data presented at ASGCT (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) highlight the fusogen platform’s potential to enable development of therapies that offer off-the-shelf treatment options for patients with blood cancers, B cell-mediated autoimmune disorders, and multiple myeloma. The data support our strategy of advancing SG293 into the clinic for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) later this year and SG227, a BCMA-targeted in vivo CAR T cell therapy, into the clinic for the treatment of multiple myeloma as early as mid-2027."
In an NHP model, a one-time intravenous administration of the surrogate SG293 led to potent CAR T cell generation, dose-dependent CAR T cell expansion, and complete peripheral B cell depletion. At 3 weeks, B cells were undetectable or minimally detectable in lymph nodes, and as B cells returned after depletion, the vast majority exhibited a naïve phenotype indicative of a "reset" of the B cell compartment. The targeted fusogen used in SG293 demonstrates a differentiated level of protection from off-target delivery risks in vitro when compared to other targeted fusogen technologies. The specific delivery and favorable on-target safety profile were confirmed in vivo in NHPs with surrogate SG293. Post-necropsy analysis of tissues showed no evidence of delivery to non-target cells, including hepatocytes, heart, or gonadal tissue. Post-infusion symptoms were mild and managed with acetaminophen, and CAR T-associated toxicities were manageable and consistent with autologous CAR T toxicities in this NHP model. Finally, the novel transgene design used in SG293 diminishes CAR protein incorporation onto the vector during manufacturing, which mitigates anti-CAR immunogenicity in NHPs and may enable improved durability of in vivo CAR T cells. These data demonstrate that SG293 represents a differentiated approach for enabling potent and precise in vivo CAR T cell therapy for oncology and autoimmune indications. Sana intends to explore SG293 initially in NHL and expects to generate first-in-human data as early as this year. If successful, the company intends to expand clinical development with SG293 into B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases and to initiate clinical development of SG227 for patients with multiple myeloma.
About SG293
SG293, which uses Sana’s proprietary fusogen-based in vivo delivery technology, is a CD8-targeted fusosome that delivers to CD8+ T cells the genetic material to make CD19-directed CAR T cells while avoiding potentially troublesome delivery to tissues such as the liver, heart, and gonadal tissue. Sana intends to explore SG293 in both B cell cancers and B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
About SG227
SG227, which uses Sana’s proprietary fusogen-based in vivo delivery technology, is a CD8-targeted fusosome that delivers to CD8+ T cells the genetic material to make BCMA-directed CAR T cells while avoiding potentially troublesome delivery to tissues such as the liver, heart, and gonadal tissue. Sana intends to explore SG227 as a potential therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
(Press release, Sana Biotechnology, MAY 12, 2026, View Source [SID1234665558])