Boston-based biotech startup GentiBio this week announced a $20 million funding round and licensing deals with two Seattle research institutions.

The company aims to treat autoimmune, alloimmune, autoinflammatory, and allergic diseases by developing engineered regulatory T cells, or Tregs. It is licensing technology from Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI), and Israel-based MIGAL Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL).

Researchers from both Seattle Children’s and BRI helped launch GentiBio. The company is led by longtime biotech and life sciences industry exec Adel Nada.

“The technologies licensed from these premier research institutions are mature and well-differentiated, and will be further optimized in sponsored research collaborations with the scientific teams that discovered them to advance novel and potent therapeutics with the potential to treat and cure serious autoimmune and inflammatory diseases,” Nada said in a statement.

Investors in the seed round include OrbiMed, Novartis Venture Fund, and RA Capital Management.

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.