Velvet Therapeutics

Velvet Therapeutics is pioneering a next-generation in vivo CAR therapy platform designed to overcome key limitations of current ex vivo CAR-T approaches. Its technology utilizes a polyasparagine nanoparticle and minicircle DNA polyplex to deliver CAR genes directly into immune cells within the body, offering a redosable, non-integrating, and potentially off-the-shelf solution. The platform exhibits lymphatic tropism to avoid the hepatic sink and is initially targeting solid tumors, with its first proprietary solid tumor CAR data presented in 2025. As a private, pre-clinical stage company, Velvet aims to simplify and broaden the application of CAR therapies across immune cell types.

Non-viral, in vivo delivery platform using polyasparagine amino acid nanoparticles and minicircle DNA polyplexes. Engineered for lymphatic tropism to avoid hepatic clearance, enabling redosable, non-integrating reprogramming of multiple immune cell types with CAR constructs.

Velvet operates in a highly competitive space with numerous companies pursuing next-generation CAR therapies. Key competitors include those developing non-viral delivery methods (e.g., transposon systems, mRNA/LNP) and other in vivo CAR approaches. Large pharma and established cell therapy companies also represent significant competitive threats through internal pipelines and acquisitions.