Jennifer Doudna’s Azalea Therapeutics Launches with $82M to Advance In Vivo CAR-T Using Novel CRISPR Delivery Technology
Azalea Therapeutics, a biotech startup spun out from Jennifer Doudna's laboratory, has raised $82 million in funding, including a $65M Series A round led by Third Rock Ventures13.
The company aims to use a single infusion of drugs to transform patients’ immune cells into targeted therapy agents for cancer and autoimmune diseases, using in vivo CAR-T gene editing13.
Azalea’s technology centers on enveloped delivery vehicles (EDVs), virus-like particles developed in Doudna's lab that encase CRISPR-Cas9 enzymes and are equipped with antibody fragments to target specific cell types3.
The startup plans to begin clinical trials for their in vivo CAR-T therapy targeting B-cell malignancies within 12 to 18 months3.
This launch marks a notable advance during a challenging period for gene-editing startups, and highlights ongoing innovation in CRISPR delivery and therapeutic applications directly within patients13.
Jennifer Doudna is a Nobel laureate and co-inventor of CRISPR-Cas9, whose work has led to significant advances in gene editing and biomedicine4.
Sources:
1. https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/jennifer-doudna-biotech-azalea-therapeutics-raises-82-million/
3. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/new-vivo-cell-therapy-biotech-blossoms-crispr-pioneer-doudnas-laboratory-82m