What it is
Seraxis is a private biotechnology company based in Germantown, Maryland. It was launched in 2013 with the mission to develop a practical and potent cell replacement therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes. The company works on replacing the pancreatic islet cells that people with type 1 diabetes lack, using cell and immune-evasion technologies that it reports have reversed diabetes in animal models. Seraxis says it performs each stage of its process in house, including manufacturing, quality control, fill-and-finish and delivery to the point of care.
Pipeline and milestones
The lead candidate, SR-02, is an allogeneic stem cell-derived pancreatic islet therapy. In October 2024 Seraxis announced FDA allowance of its IND for a clinical study of SR-02 replacement islets, and its manufacturing suite passed a GMP quality system audit earlier that year. A second candidate, SR-03, is a gene-edited islet cell therapy designed to evade immune attack. Funding milestones posted by the company include a $40M Series C closed in 2021, a second venture tranche in 2023, and a 2024 grant from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund. Details are on its pipeline page and press releases.
The BetaNova merger
On September 10, 2026, Sernova and Seraxis announced a definitive merger agreement. According to trade coverage, the combined company will be called BetaNova Biotherapeutics, with Sernova and Seraxis shareholders each holding roughly half. Sernova's Cell Pouch, an implantable device designed to support transplanted cells, would serve as a delivery platform for Seraxis islet cells. The deal was reported as expected to close in November 2026 pending shareholder approval, with a Nasdaq listing targeted for early 2027, a Phase I/II SR-02 trial expected to dose its first patient in the first quarter of 2027, and headquarters in Germantown. Founders should treat these as announced plans rather than completed events.
How to engage
Seraxis invites proposals for scientific collaborations and licensing opportunities for its technologies across geographies and indications, routed through its contact page. Its overview page described itself as a growing regenerative medicine company but listed no open positions at the time of review. Researchers and clinicians can also review its publications and presentations.
Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem
Seraxis is one of the cell therapy companies in Montgomery County's I-270 biotech corridor that has moved a program from preclinical research toward clinical testing while keeping manufacturing local. For founders in regenerative medicine, it is an example of a company that has combined venture financing with state support from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, and its planned merger shows how a Maryland company can combine with an outside partner while staying headquartered in the region.
