A digital illustration depicting a neural network and electronic circuits surrounding a purple brain-like structure with a DNA double helix, representing a neuroscientific or biotech concept.
A digital illustration depicting a neural network and electronic circuits surrounding a purple brain-like structure with a DNA double helix, representing a neuroscientific or biotech concept.

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SPINOUT

Beyond Symptom Management; Reverse Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis currently has no approved disease-modifying therapy. SynGenix is changing that with a gene-editing “SMART cell” platform that reprograms joint cells to release anti-inflammatory and regenerative drugs on demand — providing a single treatment to relieve pain and regrow cartilage.

A massive unmet need

32M

Americans suffer from osteoarthritis

0

FDA-approved disease-modifying therapies for OA today

$31M

Non-dilutive funding to accelerate our breakthrough technology platform

1

Joint injection designed to relieve pain, reverse inflammation, and regrow cartilage

No two arthritic knees are the same

THE PROBLEM

Osteoarthritis is a highly heterogeneous disease driven by distinct factors such as inflammation, trauma, cartilage breakdown or structural changes in the bone. The needs differ from person to person. A fixed-dose drug that treats every joint the same fails to address the complexity underlying the disease process.

PATIENT A

Inflammation-driven

Recurrent swelling and painful flares. Needs strong anti-inflammatory action to calm flares.

PATIENT B

Age-associated

Steady degeneration in cartilage with little swelling. Needs regenerative signals to rebuild tissue.

PATIENT C

Post-injury

A torn ligament years ago, debilitating arthritis today. Needs dual-action approach delivered in a dynamic, time-varying ratio.

SynGenix SMART cells are engineered to sense real-time joint signals – switching on when inflammation spikes and powering down when it subsides – which will provide self-regulating personalized treatment for osteoarthritis.

THE TECHNOLOGY

A thermostat for your joint

Diagram of a smart cell with color-coded concentric circles around it, labeled with various functions related to therapy, energy, and other cellular processes.

Joint “temperature”

COMFORTABLE‍ : Low Inflammation

HOT: Painful and inflamed

Inflamed: cells ON

Digital infographic showing a circular diagram with a central label reading 'SMART CELL'. The diagram includes a blue and red gradient semi-circular arc surrounding the center, with white tick marks around the inner circle. A white circle with a blue outline is connected via a white line to a segment of the outer arc, and the segment appears to be highlighted.

Joint “temperature”

HOT: Painful and inflamed

COMFORTABLE‍: Low Inflammation

Comfortable: cells on standby

Diagram illustrating the process of a self-regulating feedback loop for joint inflammation. It shows a patient’s joint cell being reprogrammed into an engineered SMART cell, which senses local cues, responds by producing therapeutics to reduce inflammation, and then winds down as inflammation resolves.

Therapy only when and where it's needed

HOW IT WORKS

CURRENT OA CARE SYNGENIX SMART CELLS
Goal Manage symptoms until joint replacement Ease pain and regrow cartilage
Dosing Fixed, repeated pills or injections One injection, self-regulating
Personalization Same treatment for every joint Responds to each patient's joint environment
Disease modification None approved Designed to repair damaged tissue

Why responsive therapy changes the equation

SMART cell technology was selected for a federal moonshot to regenerate joints

$31M

ARPA-H's NITRO program — Novel Innovations for Tissue Regeneration in Osteoarthritis — funds high-risk, high-reward teams to create minimally invasive therapies that fully regenerate damaged joints.

The Washington University team behind SynGenix received an award of up to $31 million for its SMART-cell approach, with milestone-driven support from discovery through commercialization.

Bone regeneration

A smiling man with a mustache wearing a black suit, blue shirt, and red tie against a dark gray background.

THE TEAM

From the lab bench to the patient's knee

Farshid Guilak, PhD SCIENTIFIC FOUNDER

Professor of Orthopeadics, Washington University] — inventor of the SMART-cell platform; genome engineering and regenerative orthopaedics.

Close-up of a woman with short curly black hair wearing glasses, earrings, a white jacket, and a black top, smiling against a light blue background.

Christine Pham, MD CLINICAL FOUNDER

Professor of Medicine, Washington University —expert in nanotherapeutics and joint-inflammation, guiding translation into the clinic.

Cartilage regeneration

Bringing a first-in-class therapy to patients takes more than great science. Our team spans cutting-edge academic researchers, seasoned industry leaders, and regulatory and reimbursement experts — covering every step of commercialization.

Close-up of a woman with long dark hair smiling, wearing a dark blazer and white shirt, indoors with warm wooden paneling and a natural light source.

Suzanne Tabbaa, PhD CEO

15+ yrs in orthobiologics & regenerative biomaterials with leadership roles spanning full product lifecyle – early R&D through commercialization.

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Chris Pope, PhD HEAD OF OPERATIONS

Deep background in project management supporting large complex workflows in the technology sector.

Single injection

The WashU NITRO team brings expertise at every step, from bench research to commercialization

Academic research

Experts in genome engineering, nanomedicine, biomedical engineering, rheumatology and circadian biology at Washington University.

Regulatory strategy

Former FDA and cell & gene therapy regulatory advisors charting the path from IND to approval.

Industry leadership

Drug development, clinical operations and manufacturing veterans.

Reimbursement & access

Health economics and payer experts ensuring the therapy is affordable and reaches the patients who need it.

PARTNER WITH US

Help us bring the first self-regulating personalized OA therapy to patients

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© 2026 SynGenix, Co. · St. Louis, Missouri.  SynGenix's smart-cell therapy is investigational and has not been approved by the FDA.