Cell therapy startup Notch Therapeutics closes one of three sites

Notch Therapeutics, an early-stage cancer cell therapy biotech, will close its Vancouver lab and part ways with “some of our talented colleagues,” the startup posted via LinkedIn in recent days.

The Pacific Northwest and Canadian biotech formed in 2018 with the intent of “industrializing the production of cells,” signed an off-the-shelf cell therapy pact with Allogene in 2019 and then disclosed an $85 million Series A in February 2021.

“Notch has been making steady progress towards developing best-in-class iPSC-derived T cells, but we are making changes to sharpen our focus and ensure we remain operationally efficient during these externally challenging and turbulent times,” the company wrote in its LinkedIn post.

With the closing of the Vancouver operation, Notch is down to two sites: Toronto and Seattle. On its website, Notch lists Vancouver as its headquarters.

“It’s never enjoyable to have to reduce the size of your organization. So I’m reaching out to my network, if you need good people please contact me so I can connect you,” CEO David Main posted on LinkedIn last Friday, ending the message with a hashtag seemingly referring to a nickname for Notch staffers: Notchos.

David Main

At the time of the Series A unveiling, Main had told Endpoints News he expected the biotech to grow to about 100 employees and file its IND around this time. On its website, Notch says it employs more than 90 people overall.

The startup is working to create immune cells from induced pluripotent stem cells. The company created an artificial thymus, a small organ located near the sternum, to help signal to cells that they should turn into immune ones.

Its Series A backers include Allogene, Lumira Ventures,  CCRM Enterprises Holdings, EcoR1 Capital, Casdin Capital, Samsara Capital, Amplitude Ventures and other undisclosed firms.

therapeutics
cell therapy
stem cells
biotech