Atara Biotherapeutics

Technology

Novel immunotherapy platform.

Off-the-shelf delivery.

A bold vision to transcend the current limitations of cell therapy.

We're breaking new ground as the most clinically advanced allogeneic T-cell company harnessing the power of our Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) T-cell platform to develop therapies that can be rapidly delivered to patients within days.

Atara logo

Our platform begins with donor-derived EBV T Cells.

T-Cell

More than 95% of adults over 40 are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Most people fight it off with a natural immune response, leaving them with T cells—white blood cells in the immune system armory—that are primed to control EBV when needed. But those with weakened immune systems who get EBV may be vulnerable to EBV-driven cancers or autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

T-Cell receptors

Atara's platform is based on allogeneic, or donor-derived, T cells that are enriched through our manufacturing process with specific receptors that target EBV-infected cells.

T-Cell EBV

Atara collects immune cells from healthy donors, then enriches EBV T cells, preparing them for treatment using our unique production and manufacturing process.

Our EBV T-cell platform is manufactured without gene editing so T cells can retain their natural attributes to target EBV infected cells and fight the root cause of disease.

T-Cell CAR

We're taking this technology even further by developing next-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies.

EBV T cells can be modified with a CAR to create CAR T-cell therapies to target a wide range of non-EBV-associated disease. Our molecular toolkit of next-generation technologies is designed to further enhance CAR T characteristics for solid-tumor cancers and B-cell malignancies.

Atara logo

Atara’s allogeneic, or donor-derived, investigational T-cell therapies have the potential to be produced in large quantities from each donor and stored in advance of patient need, ready for delivery within days as an off-the-shelf treatment.

Here's what makes our platform different.

Atara has treated more patients in clinical trials than any other allogeneic T-cell company to date.

  • No gene editing

    Our novel platform does not require T-cell receptor gene editing.

  • Off-the-shelf approach

    Allogeneic T-cell therapies readily available for rapid delivery within days.

  • Scalable manufacturing

    Efficient, robust process with the ability to produce over a thousand doses from one healthy donor.

  • Versatile platform

    Potential for multiple therapeutic applications for a wide range of disease-causing viral and nonviral targets.

  • Tolerability

    Targeting diseased cells with a low likelihood of harming healthy tissues.

  • Persistence

    Ability to remain in the body long enough to fight disease.

  • Trafficking

    Capable of traveling to the site of disease.

  • Optimal T-cell type

    Central memory cell type may persist longer, enabling rapid expansion and durable response.

See our technology in action.

Watch the video below to learn our process of developing living medicines: from collecting donor cells to manufacturing EBV T cells and CAR-T cells, and everything in between.

  • Flexible delivery. Biologics-like costs.

    We have advanced, in-house process science and scale-up technology which enables a highly efficient manufacturing approach and distribution process and is designed to rapidly deliver product and enable a reliable, biologics-like cost of goods for patients. Cryogenic storage provides extensive shelf life for T cells and optimizes inventory management.

    Our Thousand Oaks-based, 34,700 square-foot Atara Research Center (ARC) facility houses Atara’s preclinical, translational sciences, manufacturing process sciences, and analytical development teams. Our talented technical operations team manages manufacturing technology and external manufacturing, quality, logistics, and supply.

    Through our leading-edge ARC research and development facility in Southern California; Fitzsimons Process Development facility in Denver, Colorado; and Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) partners, we’re committed to continually innovating T-cell research capabilities and manufacturing technologies across the US.

  • Lab technicians
  • Dan

    Dan, living with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), MS advocate

  • Big vision. Bigger impact.

    At Atara, our mission is to transform the lives of patients with serious diseases. We're targeting difficult-to-treat conditions with high unmet need to provide patients with new options.

    Cancer

    We're developing investigative therapies for EBV+ post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and other EBV-driven cancers as well as solid tumors like mesothelioma, and B-cell malignancies.

    Autoimmune diseases

    We're targeting EBV-infected immune cells for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease affecting millions of people.

    Patient Stories
  • Clinical Studies Pipeline

    Our innovations are made possible by patients.

    The patients and investigators who participate in our clinical studies are essential to how we develop new therapies. Learn more about our ongoing studies.

    Our Clinical Studies

    Explore our pipeline.

    Our robust late-stage pipeline features a host of potentially transformative, investigational T-cell immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

    Our Pipeline