Startups

Andelyn Biosciences is a viral vector contract and development manufacturing organization. It was established in 2020 as a spin-out of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s manufacturing division, which has expertise in manufacturing several adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes of gene therapy products.

Armatus Bio is an emerging biotechnology company based in Ohio that is applying the rigor of advanced bioengineering to the complex challenge of genetic medicine. Through a dynamic collaboration with renowned gene therapy experts the company is building a pipeline of precision genetic-based therapies designed to overcome the limitations of today’s technologies and propel the next generation of medicines that could transform care for people with rare genetic neuromuscular disorders.

CARTx’s mission is to use our unique off-the-shelf CAR-T cell immunotherapy approach that genetically engineers γδT-cells using CRISPR/AAV to bring advanced therapies to people everywhere.

Cellula BioPharma is developing a game-changing CAR-T platform technology for solid tumors. CAR T cell therapy has represented an exciting breakthrough in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies leading to the FDA approval of six CAR-T products. To date, >200 registered CAR T cell clinical trials against solid tumors showed that the antitumor activity of CAR-T in solid tumors is very disappointing.

Clarametyx Biosciences is developing a platform therapeutic for the eradication of bacterial biofilms which are responsible for approximately 80% of human bacterial infections. Their lead composition CMTX-101 is a monoclonal antibody that causes rapid biofilm collapse, enabling host immune clearance and potentiating antibiotic activity.

CMAI Checkpoint is an Ohio-based health care startup focused on improving early identification and decision support around child safety and maltreatment risk within clinical settings. By leveraging advanced analytics and responsible artificial intelligence, CMAI Checkpoint integrates with existing health care workflows to help clinicians recognize concerning patterns, standardize assessments and support timely, evidence-informed interventions—without disrupting care delivery.

Designed in collaboration with medical and child welfare experts, CMAI Checkpoint prioritizes transparency, equity and clinical usability. The platform aims to reduce missed opportunities for intervention, support multidisciplinary teams and ultimately improve outcomes for children and families served by institutions like Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Cypress BioPharma develops first-in-class, targeted therapies for rare pediatric and adult kidney diseases, focusing on underserved conditions such as Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome and Cystinuria. The company’s programs build on clinically validated pharmacophores and leverage FDA-accepted clinical endpoints to enable efficient development and early commercialization. Cypress BioPharma aims to deliver innovative, science-driven treatment options for patients, clinicians and families affected by serious renal conditions.

Genosera is a gene therapy biotechnology company that is revolutionizing the way diseases are treated. Founded in 2019, their mission is to develop cutting-edge gene therapy treatments for rare diseases and difficult disease applications. Genosera believes that gene therapy is the key to unlocking better health care, and their team of experts is dedicated to developing safe, effective and affordable treatments. They are passionate about their work and strive to make a positive difference in the lives of people from around the world inflicted with disease.

HyperPath Solutions, launched in 2021, is commercializing technology licensed from Nationwide Children’s to create an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven, cloud-based digital pathology whole slide imaging infrastructure to enhance research and health care. Their offerings include products and services to provide value chain management to academic partners and partners in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Nationwide Children’s researchers developed a gene replacement therapy that aims to address the root cause of Type 1 galactosemia by delivering the functional GALT gene via the AAV9 vector. This investigational gene therapy is extensively licensed to Jaguar Gene Therapy.

Little Seed, Inc. was formed in 2018 in Powell, Ohio, with the goal of delivering clinically driven, evidence-based fun to pediatric patients. The foundational technology, Voxel Bay, was developed by a team of clinicians and game designers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Voxel Bay provides an interactive virtual reality platform designed to distract and calm children undergoing uncomfortable medical procedures. The Voxel Bay VR platform is being expanded to include other virtual environments and games tailored to specific needs within the pediatric environment.

NephKey Therapeutics is focused on modifying existing therapeutics for use in the treatment of kidney disease in children. The company intends to protect development of a new formulation of an adult diabetes drug to treat patients with childhood nephrotic syndrome, using a 505(b)(2) new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A large, multicenter clinical trial of this new formulation is under discussion with the FDA.

NeoVessel Biosciences is an early-stage biotechnology startup advancing next-generation vascular and regenerative medicine solutions to address unmet clinical needs in pediatric and adult populations. The company focuses on developing innovative biologic and bioengineered approaches designed to promote healthy vessel formation, improve tissue perfusion and support long-term healing across a range of disease states.

Founded on strong scientific and translational research principles, NeoVessel Biosciences emphasizes rigorous preclinical validation, safety and scalability. Through partnerships with leading clinical and research institutions, including organizations such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital, NeoVessel aims to accelerate the translation of promising vascular therapies from bench to bedside, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

RxGames was developed collaboratively by therapists, scientists and patients to create an engaging patient-focused model that therapists can use to deliver better outcomes, even when their in-clinic time together is limited by payor benefits, geography and/or patient compliance. The games were developed over a period of eight years and are backed by clinical research. The founders are proud to offer an innovative way to improve patients’ daily lives and contribute to better recovery. The goal is to transform the way therapy is delivered - empowering the patient, enabling better treatment and ultimately making therapists more effective.

Scioto Biosciences was founded in 2017 to develop treatments for diseases associated with microbial dysimbiosis. The technology platform, developed by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is a novel formulation that primes the colony-forming mechanisms of probiotic bacteria by combining beneficial bacteria with polysaccharide microspheres. These natural mechanisms induce biofilm formation, enhance probiotic function and allow for nonspore-forming bacteria to survive passage through the gastrointestinal system. Among the first therapeutic indications being pursued is necrotizing enterocolitis, a high-morbidity disease that affects 7% of premature births.

Ohio-based startup smallTalk is developing the SmallTalk™ platform to enrich the neurological development of babies who don’t have regular, consistent access to their parent’s voice. Based on technology developed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the SmallTalk™ device is a unibody, Bluetooth-enabled speaker that transmits the parent’s recorded voice with the appropriate sound characteristics to provide a clinical, therapeutic effect.

Storilly is a first-of-its-kind digital storybook innovation targeted toward helping children with hearing impairment develop speech and literacy skills. It is a software application, currently available in iOS and web access planned for 2025, enabling parents and speech-language pathologists (SLP) to partner together to help children who are hearing impaired achieve reading, speech and language goals. Utilizing storybook learning, the goal is to further stimulate language development at home to supplement office-based speech therapy. The startup recently received Phase II funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF) in October 2023. With this funding, Digital Story Therapies Inc., will continue developing the technology and incorporating digital storybooks from their partnership with Highlights for Children.

Vironexis Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a preclinical stage company with clinical stage potential founded in 2021 to utilize gene therapy to achieve long-term, consistent bloodstream levels of protein therapeutics. The company is initially focused on developing immunotherapies for cancer. Their pipeline includes targeting various pediatric and adult blood and solid organ malignancies.

Zotarix, LLC, is a Columbus-based startup focused on patient safety during surgical procedures. Their first-in-kind product is a disposable medical device which provides protection against thermal and physical injury to the patient’s lips during oral surgery.