Cartesian Therapeutics Appoints Biopharma Veteran Dr. Adrian Bot To Board Of Directors, Adds Expertise In CAR T, RNA-Based Medicines, And Cell Therapy Innovations

Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing cell therapies for autoimmune diseases, announced the appointment of Adrian Bot, M.D., Ph.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Bot will also serve as a member of the Science and Technology Committee of the Board. 

Dr. Bot brings more than 30 years of experience in research and development within the biopharmaceutical industry, with a focus on immune, cell, gene therapies, and nanomedicines. He has extensive experience in pioneering innovative therapies, including first-in-class CAR T cell therapies and next-generation RNA-based precision medicines.

Carsten Brunn, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Cartesian, said that Dr. Bot’s expertise will be particularly valuable as the company continues to advance its current pipeline and explore opportunities beyond ex-vivo cell therapy. He noted that Dr. Bot’s experience with groundbreaking CAR T cell technologies and precision medicines adds a unique perspective to the Board and will support the company’s strategic goals during a critical year of execution.

Dr. Bot expressed enthusiasm about joining Cartesian, stating that the company is at the forefront of expanding the potential of cell therapies for autoimmune diseases. He emphasized his interest in contributing his experience in immune engineering and working closely with the leadership team and the Board to support the company’s mission.

Most recently, Dr. Bot served as the founding Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Capstan Therapeutics, a company developing next-generation RNA-based precision medicines. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Kite Pharma, a Gilead company, including Chief Scientific Officer, Global Head of Translational Medicine, and Head of Discovery Research, where he contributed to the development of first-in-class CAR T cell therapy products for cancer. 

Dr. Bot also held senior R&D positions at MannKind and Alliance Pharma. He has co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, book chapters, and monographs. Dr. Bot received his M.D. from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timisoara, Romania, and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Mount Sinai School of Medicine.