Integra Therapeutics Targets Next-Generation CAR T Development with FiCAT Gene Writing Platform

During ASGCT 2026, BioPharm International sat down with Avencia Sanchez-Mejias, molecular biologist and co-founder of Integra Therapeutics, to discuss the company’s FiCAT platform, which is designed to enable more advanced cell therapy engineering by combining CRISPR nuclease precision with the high DNA cargo capacity of transposases.

Sanchez-Mejias said the technology originated from academic research conducted at Pompeu Fabra University before being spun out into Integra Therapeutics five years ago.

According to Sanchez-Mejias, the platform could help support the development of next-generation CAR T therapies, particularly for solid tumors where standard CAR constructs alone may not provide sufficient efficacy.

How could multiplex gene editing improve next-generation CAR T therapies?

Sanchez-Mejias explained that future CAR T approaches will likely require increasingly sophisticated engineering strategies, including the integration of multiple genetic payloads to improve tumor infiltration, overcome suppressive tumor microenvironments, and better regulate cytokine activity.

The company’s approach enables multiple genes to be inserted simultaneously through a single targeted integration event, while also supporting additional edits such as PD-1 knockouts or modifications to TRAC and B2M loci for allogeneic therapies.

“So, it's really a tool for opening up the possibilities of the next generation of CAR T therapies,” Sanchez-Mejias said.

She noted that avoiding viral vectors could also help reduce manufacturing complexity and cost while shortening development timelines compared with multi-step editing approaches.

At the same time, Sanchez-Mejias emphasized that multiplex editing strategies must carefully address safety concerns associated with genotoxicity and chromosomal rearrangements.

“In our case, we do a single knock-in with several genes in one step, so this is considered safe and single edit, because we only target one gene,” she said.

Sanchez-Mejias added that multiple gene writing platforms are maturing simultaneously across the industry, including RNA-based systems, recombinase-based approaches, and programmable transposases, each with distinct tradeoffs involving payload capacity, integration precision, and manufacturability.

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About the speaker

Avencia Sanchez-Mejia, CEO & Co-Founder, Integra Therapeutics

Avencia Sánchez-Mejías is CEO and co-founder of Integra Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing next-generation gene writing tools for advanced therapies. Since 2020, she has led the company’s growth and advancement of its FiCAT platform, which combines CRISPR precision with high-capacity DNA integration for cell and gene therapy applications. Sánchez-Mejías has a scientific background in molecular oncology, clinical genetics, and synthetic biology, with research experience in Spain, Singapore, and the United States. Prior to founding Integra, she was a senior researcher at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.