About Cell Design Labs
Cell Design Labs is a Healthcare company based in San Francisco (United States) founded in 2016, and was acquired by Gilead in December 2017. CAR T-cell immunotherapies for cancer and diseases are developed. Cell Design Labs has raised $34.4 million across 1 funding round from investors including Gilead, Kleiner Perkins and Kite Pharma. Its chief executive, as recorded, is Brian Atwood. Its focus areas include Life Sciences, Cell Therapy, Adoptive Cell Therapy and T-Cell. Its competitors include Celgene, C4 Therapeutics and Erasca; 3 of its 3 listed competitors have raised funding.
Company details
Cell Design Labs was founded in 2016 in San Francisco, United States, and incubated at JLabs. Research from the University of California forms its basis, with operations centered on engineering T cells using chimeric antigen receptors or T cell receptors to address cancer. A portfolio of therapies is being built for hematologic and solid tumors, alongside partnerships with oncology firms for broader applications in devastating diseases.
- Headquarters San Francisco, United States
- Stage Acquired
- SectorsHealthcare
- Emailβ’β’β’β’β’β’β’β’
- Website celldesignlabs.com
- Acquired by Gilead (Dec 2017)
Funding Insights of Cell Design Labs
Cell Design Labs has successfully raised a total of $34.4M through 1 strategic funding round. The most recent funding activity was a Series A round of $34.4 million completed in June 2016. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $34.4M
- Total Rounds 1
- Last Round Series A β $34.4M
- First Round $34.4M
(Jun 2016)
- Investors Count 4
All 1 funding rounds of Cell Design Labs with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2016 | $34.4M | Series A | β | Kleiner Perkins |
5 investors in total: 5 institutional.
Investors in Cell Design Labs
Cell Design Labs has secured backing from 5 investors, including institutional and venture fund investors. Prominent investors backing the company include Gilead, Kleiner Perkins and Kite Pharma.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
US focused VC firm | missionbaycapital.com | San Francisco, United States | ||
Venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech startups | 1972 | kleinerperkins.com | Menlo Park, United States | |
Early- to growth-stage startups are targeted for venture capital investments. | oup.vc | Bala Cynwyd, United States | ||
Cancer immunotherapy products are developed using genetic engineering. | 2009 | kitepharma.com | Los Angeles, United States | |
Developer of medicines to treat HIV/AIDS, liver diseases, cancer & others | 1987 | gilead.com | Foster City, United States |
Investor details for Cell Design Labs
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People of Cell Design Labs
1 people are tracked at Cell Design Labs (1 in leadership).
| Name | Role | Group |
|---|---|---|
Brian Atwood | CEO | Leadership |
Complete people profiles for Cell Design Labs
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Timeline of Cell Design Labs
3 dated milestones of Cell Design Labs across 1 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded Cell Design Labs is founded.
- Funding First funding round of $34.4M.
- Exit Acquired by Gilead.
Competitors of Cell Design Labs
Cell Design Labs has 3 listed competitors in our database, 3 of them funded. They include Celgene, C4 Therapeutics and Erasca.
| Company Name | Domain | Founded | HQ Location | Total funding | Employees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| celgene.com | 1986 | Summit, United States | $45M | 4,891 | Therapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases are developed. | |
| c4therapeutics.com | 2016 | Cambridge, United States | $223M | 121 | Small-molecule drugs for cancer treatment are developed via Degronimid platform. | |
| erasca.com | 2018 | San Diego, United States | $300M | 120 | Small molecule therapeutics for cancer treatment are developed. |
Detailed competitors of Cell Design Labs
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Top companies in Cell Therapy
3 companies that operate in the same segment as Cell Design Labs (Cell Therapy) in United States, ranked by their profile score on The Company Check.
| Company | Description | Founded | Location | Total funding | Revenue | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAR T-cell and T-cell receptor immunotherapies for cancer are developed. | 2013 | Seattle, Washington, United States | USD 316.67 M | 520 | ||
CAR-T and TIL immunotherapies for solid tumors are developed. | 2018 | San Francisco, California, United States | USD 493 M | USD 36 K | 233 | |
Smart surgical devices for spinal surgery are developed. | 1997 | San Diego, California, United States | USD 54.1 M |
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Related news about Cell Design Labs
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Frequently Asked Questions about Cell Design Labs
Cell Design Labs was founded in 2016.
Cell Design Labs is headquartered in San Francisco, United States. It is registered at San Francisco, California, United States.
Brian Atwood is the CEO of Cell Design Labs, as recorded in our data.
Cell Design Labs is a funded company, having raised a total of $34.4M across 1 funding round to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Series A of $34.4M, raised on Jun 2016.
Cell Design Labs was founded in 2016 in San Francisco, United States, and incubated at JLabs. Research from the University of California forms its basis, with operations centered on engineering T cells using chimeric antigen receptors or T cell receptors to address cancer. A portfolio of therapies is being built for hematologic and solid tumors, alongside partnerships with oncology firms for broader applications in devastating diseases.
Cell Design Labs's top competitors include C4 Therapeutics, Erasca and Celgene.
Cell Design Labs has 5 investors. Key investors include Gilead, Kleiner Perkins, Kite Pharma, Mission Bay Capital, and Osage University Partners.
Yes. Cell Design Labs was acquired by Gilead in December 2017.

