Core Memory Attacking Cancer With Code And Winning - EP 48 Jake Becraft
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Dec 10, 2025 Jake Becraft, Co-founder and CEO of Strand Therapeutics, dives into the groundbreaking world of programmable mRNA therapies. He discusses how his team's innovative approach targets diseased cells, particularly in melanoma, turning the tide for patients once deemed incurable. Becraft reflects on the evolution of mRNA technology, its potential beyond vaccines, and the implications for future therapies like CAR-T and CRISPR. With insights on recent clinical trials and the surprising efficacy observed, he paints an exciting picture of synthetic biology's role in fighting cancer.
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Control Expression, Not Just Delivery
- Strand programs mRNA with genetic 'sensors' that detect cell-type signals and only actuate payloads in target cells.
- This controls expression rather than relying solely on delivery to achieve therapeutic specificity.
Rapid Remission From Intratumoral mRNA
- A patient with rapidly progressing metastatic melanoma received two intratumoral mRNA doses and began improving within weeks.
- After continued dosing every three weeks the patient's tumors disappeared and they remain disease-free 15–16 months later.
Delivery Limits Therapy Scalability
- Many advanced biologic therapies fail to scale because delivery requires complex, manual medical procedures.
- In vivo delivery of genetic payloads could make therapies like CAR-T far more scalable and accessible.