ENGAGING CELLS
TRANSFORMING LIVES

Cell Engager Therapeutics is a platform biotechnology company developing first-in-class engineered mesenchymal stem cell and multispecific VHH antibody technologies for targeted therapeutic delivery. Our proprietary platforms enable the localized delivery of diverse therapeutic payloads—including antibodies, cytokines, enzymes, oncolytic viruses, gene therapies, and radiotherapeutics—to diseased tissues, creating novel treatment opportunities across oncology, autoimmune diseases, monogenic disorders, and regenerative medicine.

Research and Development

Targeted Cell Therapies

Utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a versatile platform for targeted delivery of biologics, maximizing therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing side effects.

The invention is a first-in-class, monoclonal, inducible, and traceable MSC platform as an off-the-shelf cell source for delivery of biologics with broad applications in biomedicine, including cancer, autoimmune disorders, and monogenic diseases.

Publications on Pubmed: PMID: 42164422, 31499084; 41475501

Patent: Provisional patent filed on March 2026

Immune Modulation

Adaptive Cell Engager (ACE)™ Platform for modulating the immune system to eliminate disease cells.

The invention is a modular multispecific antibody that can activate immune cells (e.g., NK cells, T cells, Macrophages) to simultaneously target different antigens, leading to the elimination of pathogenic cells.

Publications on Pubmed: PMID: 39311380; 36685519; 38490714

Patent: WO2023129819A2

Leadership

Founder and CEO

Arash Hatefi, PhD

Arash is a pharmaceutical scientist specializing in cell and antibody engineering for the treatment of complex diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. He earned his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Alberta and completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics at Rutgers University. Arash is an inventor on several patents. In 2025, he received the prestigious Distinguished Innovator Award from Rutgers University in recognition of his sustained contributions to healthcare research innovation. He is also a three-time recipient of the prestigious GALLO Award from the Rutgers Cancer Institute for scientific excellence. He has published more than 100 research articles, book chapters, patents, and presentations. As an independent investigator, he has secured ~$5.5 million in research funding from the NIH and the Department of Defense, as well as approximately $500K from various foundations and state institutions to support his research programs.

President, Medical Affairs

Ali Shojaee, PharmD, MBA

Ali is a senior pharmaceutical and biotechnology leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning oncology, global medical affairs, and scientific communications. He currently serves as Senior Director, Global Medical Affairs Oncology at BioNTech, where he leads global scientific engagement and communication strategies focused on individualized mRNA cancer vaccines, cell therapies for solid tumors, and bispecific antibodies. Prior to joining BioNTech, Ali spent more than eight years at Novartis Oncology, advancing through multiple leadership roles within U.S. Scientific Communications. During his tenure, he contributed to the launch of the first CAR-T therapies in pediatric leukemia and adult lymphoma. Earlier in his career, he held positions at Daiichi Sankyo across Global Medical Affairs, Medical Communications, and Medical Research & Strategy. Dr. Shojaee combines deep scientific expertise with strong business acumen, holding both a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from Shenandoah University and an MBA from Rutgers Business School. He has held clinical pharmacist positions at Georgetown University and a post-doc fellowship at the Washington Hospital Center.

Tech Lead

Vice President of R & D

Shahryar K. Nikkhoi, PhD

Shahryar earned his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Rutgers University and has more than a decade of experience in antibody discovery and engineering. He is currently a Research Scientist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, where he engineers CAR-T/NK cell therapies, develops T-cell engagers, and leads antibody discovery campaigns. He has identified and engineered several VHH-based antibodies that activate immune cells to recognize and eliminate target cells. His innovative research has resulted in more than 30 publications in high-impact journals and a patent application.

Advisors

Clinical Advisor

Gynecologic Oncology

Dr. Eugenia Girda, MD, FACOG

Dr. Eugenia (Jane) Girda is a gynecologic oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute, and an Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She is a recognized clinical and research leader with a strong focus on early-phase clinical trials and the development of novel therapeutics for gynecologic malignancies. As Leader of Gynecologic Oncology Disease Group, she plays a central role in advancing both patient care and translational research initiatives. Dr. Girda has served as a Principal Investigator on more than 25 clinical trials and has led the development of investigator-initiated studies aimed at improving outcomes for patients with advanced and recurrent cancers. Dr. Girda is Co-Chair of the Big Ten Gynecologic Oncology Research Consortium, where she leads the development of multi-institutional investigator-initiated trials. Her expertise includes first-in-human studies, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and translational research, including the development of patient-derived organoid models for drug sensitivity testing in gynecological malignancies.

Clinical Advisor

Autoimmune Diseases

Dr. L. Nandini Moorthy, MD, FAAP

Dr. Moorthy is Chief of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology and Professor of Pediatrics, with over two decades of clinical and research experience in pediatric rheumatic diseases. Dr. Moorthy leads a highly regarded clinical program dedicated to the care of children with complex rheumatic diseases, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care. The division specializes in the diagnosis and management of a broad spectrum of rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vasculitis, mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), spondyloarthropathies, and scleroderma. Her research interests center on patient-reported outcomes, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and physical function in pediatric rheumatic diseases. She developed and validated the Simple Measure of the Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY©) through a multicenter study, providing a widely used instrument for assessing disease impact in affected children and their families. Her contributions to childhood SLE outcomes research are reflected in numerous peer-reviewed publications.

Pipeline

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ENGAGING CELLS TRANSFORMING LIVES