NanoCell Therapeutics & Catalyze’s €4M Collaboration

NanoCell Therapeutics (NanoCell) is a biotechnology company founded in 2021 with operations in Pennsylvania (USA) and Utrecht (NL), that has rapidly established itself as an innovator in non-viral DNA-based in-vivo gene therapy. Since its founding, NanoCell has been in a lasting partnership with Catalyze, working toward multiple EU grant successes. We heard from Dr. Maurits Geerlings, President & CEO, about NanoCell’s breakthrough gene therapy technology, and the collaboration with Catalyze.

“Grant applications are time-consuming. Applying for multiple grants with Catalyze allows for a level of efficiency that enables the client to manage despite having limited capacity.”

– Dr. Geerlings, President & CEO, NanoCell Therapeutics (Pictured)

Nanocell Therapeutics: Advancing In-Vivo CAR-T with Non-Viral Gene Therapy Technology

NanoCell Therapeutics is pioneering a new frontier in gene therapy through its proprietary non-viral, DNA-based platform designed for in vivo delivery. With the ambition to convert today’s complex, costly, and hospital-dependent adoptive cell therapies into safe, scalable, and outpatient gene therapies, NanoCell is redefining what’s possible in the treatment of cancer and immune-related disorders.

At the heart of NanoCell’s innovation lies its targeted lipid nanoparticle (tLNP) technology—engineered to deliver transposon-based gene cargo directly into immune effector cells, like T-cells, within the body. This leap eliminates the need for ex vivo manipulation, significantly reducing costs, improving patient access, and enabling broader use of CAR-T therapies.

Dr. Geerlings explains, “NanoCell aspires to make CAR and TCR therapies widely accessible to patients across the world, by overcoming existing barriers such as high manufacturing and treatment costs, logistical complexities, time-to-treatment, safety and efficacy limitations, and dependency on highly specialized hospitals.”

NanoCell Are Pioneering In-Vivo Cell Programming with EIC Pathfinder

NanoCell and Catalyze began their collaboration in 2021 with a successful submission to the 2022 EIC Pathfinder Open – a highly competitive round, with 858 proposals and only 57 projects chosen. NanoCell was awarded ~€3M for their NANO-ENGINE project, an ambitious initiative to create the first DNA-based, non-viral platform for targeted in vivo cell reprogramming.

Running from April 2023-2026, NANO-ENGINE brings together a strong European consortium, including Utrecht University (NL), Imperial College London (UK), and SINTEF (NO), combining NanoCells’ expertise in non-viral gene transfer with wide-ranging expertise in nanomedicine.

Over the course of the project, the team is working to assemble and characterize targeted nanoparticles capable of forming CAR-T cells in vivo, while conducting proof-of-concept studies and early-stage business planning.

Catalyze is providing project management for the full duration of NANO-ENGINE.

Dr. Geerlings comments on the importance of securing their Eurostars and EIC Pathfinder grant awards:

“Besides some welcome monetary support, the independent due diligence processes of these grant programs triggers interest within the investment community and industry, as in vivo cell engineering is still a relatively early-stage concept.” 

Eurostars: Developing NCTX-01 for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Building on the progress made in NANO-ENGINE, NanoCell and Catalyze continued their partnership with a successful submission to the March 2025 Eurostars call. Their project, QUIET-CAR, was awarded a ~€1M grant to develop NCTX-01, a first-in-class in-vivo CAR-T therapy for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL).

NCTX-01 offers a radical departure from current CAR-T treatments, delivering therapy directly within the patient’s body using NanoCell’s proprietary tLNPs, and improving safety by engineering ‘immune-quiet’ DNA to reduce innate immune responses. By 2027, the project aims to deliver a full preclinical data package, providing proof-of-concept for this new approach in DLBCL, with potential to extend across a range of oncological and immune indications.

The project answers a vital clinical need: while CAR-T therapies are promising, only a fraction of eligible patients receive them due to cost and infrastructure barriers. NCTX-01 offers a scalable, out-patient alternative with the potential to deliver CAR-T therapy within days, not weeks. Joining the project are CPTx (GER), who bring expertise in large scale production of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA).

Dr. Geerlings highlights the value in working with Catalyze towards their Eurostars and EIC Pathfinder awards:

“Catalyze is excellent at guiding its clients through the grant application processes, each having their own specific requirements. It enhances the likelihood of a successful outcome.”

A Long-Term Collaboration Built on Shared Vision

NanoCell and Catalyze have worked closely across multiple programmes, including funding strategy, proposal development, and ongoing project management. This lasting partnership has supported NanoCell in translating their bold scientific vision into funded innovation. The partnership continues with development of further grant submissions and project management support for NanoCell’s new Eurostars project.

Dr. Geerlings shares, “Grant applications are time-consuming. Applying for multiple grants with Catalyze allows for a level of efficiency that enables the client to manage despite having limited bandwidth capacity.”