Likarda’s Core-Shell Spherification® hydrogel technology will help advance room-temperature stabilization of living cells under ARPA-H’s BioStabilization Systems program
KANSAS CITY, MO. – September 28, 2026 – Likarda, Inc., a biotechnology company developing advanced hydrogel technologies for the delivery, preservation, and performance of cell therapies and biologics, today announced its participation in a team led by The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. selected by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) for its BioStabilization Systems (BoSS) program.
The BoSS program is pursuing an ambitious goal: moving cell-based medicines from ultra-cold cryogenic storage toward stable, near-room-temperature preservation. ARPA-H describes this challenge as a “200-degree leap” that, if successful, could dramatically reduce dependence on complex cold-chain infrastructure and expand access to advanced cell therapies. ARPA-H announced three performer teams selected for the program on September 24.
Likarda will contribute its proprietary Core-Shell Spherification® (CSS®) hydrogel technology, designed to encapsulate and protect living cells while maintaining viability and function. Dr. Lisa Stehno-Bittel, Founder and President of Likarda, will serve as a technical lead for the entire consortium.
“Eliminating dependence on the cold chain could fundamentally change how cell therapies are manufactured, distributed, and made available to patients,” said Dr. Stehno-Bittel. “This program gives us the opportunity to apply Likarda’s cell-protection technology to an ambitious challenge with the potential for broad impact across cell therapy.”
The Draper-led team brings together expertise in cell stabilization, bioengineering, bioprocessing, clinical translation, and commercialization. Team members include Draper, Likarda, Fresenius Kabi, CPSI Biotech, University of Colorado Boulder, CaseBioscience, and MiNK.
The program builds on Likarda’s development of hydrogel technologies for protecting cells during storage, transport, and delivery, supporting the company’s broader goal of making advanced cell therapies more scalable and accessible.
About Likarda
Likarda is a biotechnology company developing advanced hydrogel technologies that improve the delivery, preservation, and performance of biologics, cell therapies, and regenerative medicine products. Its proprietary Core-Shell Spherification® (CSS®) platform enables extended therapeutic delivery, enhanced storage and transport, and innovative formulation solutions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and government partners. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, Likarda collaborates with industry and government organizations to accelerate the development of next-generation therapeutics.
For more information, visit Likarda.
About ARPA-H’s BioStabilization Systems (BoSS) Program
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health’s BoSS program seeks to develop technologies that enable cell-based biologic medicines to be produced, stored, and transported at or near room temperature. The program is pursuing technologies that could reduce reliance on ultra-cold storage, lower costs, and expand access to advanced cell therapies. ARPA-H has announced a commitment of up to $87 million across the four-year program. Read ARPA-H’s September 24 announcement.
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