Gritstone bio

Gritstone bio was a clinical-stage American biotechnology company which attempted to develop cancer and infectious disease immunotherapies and vaccines. It was founded in August 2015 as Gritstone Oncology, Inc., with offices in Emeryville, California.

Gritstone Bio

Formerly	Gritstone Oncology, Inc.
Company type	Biotechnology company
Industry	Biotechnology
Founded	August 2015 (2015-08)
Founder	Andrew Allen
Fate	Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2024
Headquarters	Emeryville, California , U.S.
Key people	Vassiliki “Celia” Economides (interim CEO, CFO)
Products	Cancer immunotherapies, infectious disease vaccines, self-amplifying mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (GRT-R910)
Services	Immunotherapy and vaccine development
Revenue	(2021 (September))

In September 2021 it raised $55.0 million from the sale of 5,000,000 shares.^[1]

It started a Phase 1 trial of its self-amplifying mRNA second generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, GRT-R910, in the NIHCR Manchester Clinical Research Facility at Manchester Royal Infirmary, in September 2021.^[2] This is to explore the ability of GRT-R910 to boost and expand the immunogenicity of AstraZeneca's first-generation COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 (Vaxzevria) in healthy adults of more than 60 years. It uses lipid nanoparticles to deliver a broad set of antigens against SARS-CoV-2 that includes both stabilized spike protein and highly conserved viral protein regions containing T cell epitopes.^[3] Prof. Andrew Ustianowski is the study’s chief investigator.^[4]

On 10 November 2021, Gritstone announced positive preclinical data of its second-generation self-amplifying mRNA (SAM) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primate models.^[5]

It is involved in a Phase 1/2 study, in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, in 26 patients with metastatic solid tumors.^[6]

In October 2024, Gritstone filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in efforts to move forward with its "strategic alternatives process". The company is looking for a stalking-horse bid that would allow for the company to continue operating.

On December 31, 2024, Andrew Allen, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Gritstone Bio, stepped down from his role following the company's asset sale. Dr. Allen's departure, along with other key executives, marked a significant shift in Gritstone Bio's leadership. The resignations included:

Matthew Hawryluk, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer Erin E. Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Karin Jooss, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Head of Research and Development In the interim, Vassiliki “Celia” Economides assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer while maintaining her position as Chief Financial Officer, with no changes to her compensation.